The Illustrated Krazy
Chapter 11 - Transformation Glasses
Herriman was never more direct about race and racism than in the months leading up to the boxing match between champion Jack Johnson and challenger Jim Jeffries. Using common blackface images not unlike other cartoons seen in newspapers of the day, he tells a very different story about a “Lily White” crown and those seeking to “discolor” it. When Johnson finally defeats Jeffries, Herriman celebrates by updating Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In a cartoon about Black boxer Sam Langford, Herriman introduces the figure of a cat who would soon become Krazy Kat, which debuted shortly after the Johnson-Jeffries bout. Also included is a cartoon by Tad Dorgan that centers on a large, unusually realistic drawing of Johnson that respectfully places him in the lineage of past champions. Herriman and Dorgan were exceptions, for such respectful treatment was unusual for cartoonists of the day. For more on these images, see the introduction to The Illustrated Krazy.
