Anne Briardy Mergen (August 19, 1906 – July 3, 1994) was an American editorial cartoonist and a pioneer for women in the field of political cartooning. She worked for the Miami Daily News from 1933 to 1956 and was one of the first female editorial cartoonists in the United States. Throughout her career, she was often the only woman working as an editorial cartoonist in the country.[1]
Early Life and Education
Anne Briardy Mergen was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1906 to Frank and Elizabeth Briardy, second-generation Irish immigrants. She attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago, where she studied commercial art. In 1926, her family relocated to Miami, Florida, where she would later establish her career as a cartoonist.
Career
Mergen began her artistic career working as a fashion-advertising artist for the Florida-based department store Burdine's. Her transition into editorial cartooning began when she created a fashion feature called "Anne and Peg's Scrapbook," which was published as a two-page spread in the Miami Daily News for three years.
In 1933, Mergen submitted her first editorial cartoon to the Miami Daily News, which published it in April of that year. She became the paper’s full-time editorial cartoonist in 1936, making her not only the sole cartoonist for the paper but also the only female editorial cartoonist working professionally in the United States at the time.
She primarily worked from a home studio while raising two children, balancing her career with family life after marrying Frank Mergen in 1932.
Notable Work and Themes
Mergen's cartoons covered a range of significant political and social issues, including:
- The Great Depression
- World War II
- Nuclear Power
- The Cold War
- Environmental Concerns
- Local and National Politics
Her work often reflected a sharp commentary on the pressing issues of the time, and she was known for her incisive critiques of political corruption and social injustice.
Recognition and Awards
Mergen's contributions to editorial cartooning were widely recognized during her career. Notably:
- 1939 Pulitzer Prize: The Miami Daily News won a Pulitzer Prize for exposing local government corruption, and Mergen's editor, Hal Lyshon, credited her cartoons as pivotal in the paper's success.
- 1953 Wendy Warren Award: Presented by Today’s Woman magazine for her contributions to women’s professional advancement in the arts and public awareness of social issues.
- 2012/2013 Florida Women's Hall of Fame Nominee: For her groundbreaking role in editorial cartooning and advocacy for national and global awareness through her work.
She received fan mail from influential figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt and J. Edgar Hoover. Two of her cartoons were later displayed in the Roosevelt Memorial Room in Hyde Park.
Retirement and Legacy
Mergen retired from full-time cartooning in 1956, though she continued to publish occasional cartoons until 1959. Throughout her career, she created over 7,000 editorial cartoons. Her work appeared not only in the Miami Daily News but also in the Atlanta Journal and the Dayton News.[2]
After her death in 1994, her grandchildren, Matthew Bernhardt and Christine Hoverman, donated 600 original cartoons to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at Ohio State University, where they are preserved in the Anne Mergen Collection. Additional collections of her published work can be found at the Library of Congress and HistoryMiami Museum.
Impact and Influence
Anne Mergen broke significant barriers in the male-dominated field of editorial cartooning. Her powerful commentary on social and political issues, along with her achievements in the field, paved the way for future generations of women cartoonists. Her legacy continues to be celebrated in the history of American editorial cartooning.
References
- ↑ Anne Mergen; Florida Cartoons June 21, 2008 - September 04, 2008; Traveling Exhibition, History Miami. Archived June 4, 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Anne Mergen Library News Ohio State University