The Clifford Berryman Cartoon Collection contains 108 political cartoons drawn for publication in the Washington Evening Star from approximately 1900 to 1948. Drawn in pen and ink on posterboard, the majority of these oversized cartoons measure either 13.5” x 14.25” or 18” x 15.75”. In general, the subjects of the cartoons pertain to local District of Columbia issues as opposed to national news. The cartoons address community issues, congressional appropriation and District finances, holidays and events, politics, District political representation, weather and nature, and World Wars I and II. The collection also contains a handful of miscellaneous Berryman drawings, cards, and caricatures. A brief description of each cartoon is provided with the box inventory at the end of the finding aid.

Recurring characters in Berryman’s cartoons include 1) “D.C.”, a character resembling Benjamin Franklin who represents the people of the District of Columbia; 2) “Uncle Sam”, representing the country as a whole; 3) “Berryman Bear”,a small, fuzzy bear cub that was the inspiration for the toy teddy bear and appears with either President Theodore Roosevelt or Uncle Sam, usually to depict an emotional response to the situation occurring in the cartoon, or to stand for Berryman’s own views on the matter; and 4) the Squash Center farmers, a group of men that provide various comments and opinions on news.