Collection inventory

Special Collections home page

Arthur B. Poinier Cartoons

An inventory of his cartoons at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: HBB
Date: Jul 1969

Biographical History

Art Poinier (1911-1998) was an American editorial cartoonist.

Arthur B. "Art" Poinier was born February 9, 1911. He received a B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan in 1932 and while in college he drew sports cartoons for the Columbus Dispatch. During the Great Depression, Poinier worked for the Cleveland Press. After being laid off, in 1934, he moved to Iowa to work as a staff artist for the Des Moines Register and Tribune from 1934 to 1936. During World War II, Poinier served with the United States Navy as an air combat intelligence officer.

In 1939, Poinier joined the staff of the Detroit Free Press. In 1951 he left that position to be the editorial cartoonist for the Detroit News. During his career, his work was distributed by the Bell Syndicate and Associated Newspapers. He also drew the Jitter strip from 1936 to 1943, whose title character was a rambunctious chimpanzee.

Poinier was a member of the National Cartoonists Society and at one time president of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists. His work appeared in the annual compilation Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year. He received eight awards from the Freedoms Foundation while with the Detroit News, including one for a cartoon that was critical of the Vietnam War. He was also a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Poinier was also a farmer and grew apples on his farm. He retired in 1976 and died on May 4, 1998 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Arthur B. Poinier Cartoons consist of editorial cartoons published in the Detroit News from circa 1945 to 1978.

The single series Cartoons consists of approximately 3,656 original editorial cartoons as well as 13 proofs and reproductions. Poinier often produced several cartoons for each day. Some are labeled "alternate" or "extra". Of particular interest is a cartoon drawn following the shooting of Robert F. Kennedy that depicts him entering heaven. The cartoon, drawn in advance of Kennedy's passing is labeled to only be used in the event of his death.

Cartoons vary in size; however the majority measure 14" x 22 1/2". Poinier worked in ink and crayon; other materials include whiteout. Traces of pencil are visible and captions are written in ink.

Arrangement of the Collection

Items are arranged chronologically. Proofs are filed in with original artwork. At the end of most years there is at least one folder of cartoons from that year that are marked "extra" or "alternate" and do not have specific dates.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has collections of over one hundred cartoonists. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

Subject Headings

Persons

Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Poinier, Arthur.

Corporate Bodies

Detroit News Company.

Subjects

American wit and humor, Pictorial.
Caricatures and cartoons -- Michigan -- Detroit.
Caricatures and cartoons -- United States.
Cartoonists -- Michigan -- Detroit.
Cartoonists -- United States.
Editorial cartoons -- Michigan -- Detroit.
Editorial cartoons -- United States.
World politics -- 1945-1989 -- Caricatures and cartoons.

Places

United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1989 -- Caricatures and cartoons.

Genres and Forms

Cartoons (humorous images)
Editorial cartoons.
Proofs (printed matter)

Occupations

Cartoonists.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Arthur B. Poinier Cartoons
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Arthur B. Poinier, 1967-1968.

Gift of Abigail and Jeff Poinier, 2023.

Table of Contents

Cartoons

Inventory