Studio SPJ with Fiona Deans Halloran

Tune in on Saturday, Jan. 5 at noon Eastern when our guest on Studio SPJ will be the author of a new biography on the legendary editorial cartoonist Thomas Nast.

 

The half-hour Internet radio program will feature an interview with Fiona Deans Halloran, whose book "Thomas Nast - The Father of Modern Political Cartoons - will be published by the University of North Carolina Press in January.

 

Nast - who lived from 1840 to 1902 - is best known for inventing the symbols of the donkey and the elephant for the Democratic and Republican parties.

 

His sharply drawn cartoons skewered the political corruption of political bosses in New York City's Tammany Hall. He also drew iconic images of Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly. He lived much of his life in Morristown, N.J.

 

Halloran teaches history at Rowland Hall - St. Mark's School in Salt Lake City. 

 

Studio SPJ is an series of conversations on topics of interest to journalists.

 

The Utah Headliners and New Jersey Pro chapters will serve as co-sponsors of the broadcast.