Dark Laughter: The Satiric Art of Oliver W. Harrington

Studies in Popular Culture Series

by M. Thomas Inge (Designed by), Oliver W. Harrington

It was none other than Langston Hughes who called Oliver Wendell Harrington America's greatest black cartoonist. Yet largely because he chose to live as an expatriate far from the American mainstream, he has been almost entirely overlooked by contemporary historians and scholars of African-American culture. Born in 1912 and a graduate of the Yale School of Fine Arts, he was a prolific contributor of humorous and editorial cartoons to the black press in the 1930s and 1940s, but he achieved fame for his creation of a cartoon panel called Dark Laughter, a satire of Harlem society and featuring Bootsie, a character in the tradition of the wise fool. Bootsie became widely known and loved wherever black newspapers appeared. For airing strong antiracist views Harrington was targeted during the McCarthy era, and in 1951 he was self-exiled in Paris. In 1961 he found himself trapped behind the Berlin Wall, but he chose to remain in East Germany. His powerful political cartoons were published in East German magazines and in the American Communist newspaper The Daily World. He became a favorite among students and intellectuals in the Eastern Bloc. In America he was mainly forgotten. Here, selected from the Walter O. Evans Collection of African-American Art, is an omnibus of Harrington's best cartoons from the past four decades. It highlights his exceptional talent, his potent impact with editorial comment and social criticism, and his deserving of acclaim in his native land.

Genres: Art, Anthologies, Humor, History, Biography

116 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1993

Reviews

[Barry Wynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't thought of this book in years. A Twitter post reminded me of Mr. Harrington's work. He really is an unsung hero. Highly recommend.

[Jessica Burstrem · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally sought out this book for a brief discussion relevant to one of my own projects ... and ended up reading the entire introduction (lengthy but engaging!) and using many of the images in my teaching.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating! Many of the cartoons included remain politically relevant.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of dark comedy, the title of this book is what caught my eye on the library shelf. Upon opening the cover, however, I was presented with a very different take on the idea of "dark" comedy. Oliver Harrington was an African-American artist, growing up with a trained eye on the community and culture surrounding him in the early 20th century. Displaying an aptitude for drawing and humor, Harrington turned his focus upon the state of the country - race be damned. Offering his insight into daily urban life for African-Americans, political agendas and policies of the Caucasian government, and even foreign matters during self-imposed exiles, Harrington's wit left no stone unturned. This collection of nearly-forgotten images demonstrates the power of artistry, reaching back through time to allow us in the present to give Harrington his due.