Herb Block is among the world’s best known and most admired political cartoonists. Born on October 13, 1909, the native Chicagoan spent his 72-year career fighting against abuses of the powerful. He began his editorial cartooning career at the Chicago Daily News and NEA Service before landing at The Washington Post in 1946. He wrote a dozen books chronicling the history of America (a third of it, since its Independence!). The U.S. Postal Service commissioned him to design the image for the stamp commemorating the 175th anniversary of the United States Bill of Rights. He received three Pulitzer Prizes and shared a fourth with The Washington Post for his cartoons. He was the recipient of innumerable awards and honorary degrees, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award the government can give. Herb Block was known as a gentle, self-effacing man with a steely resolve to use his work to bring injustices to light.About Herb Block
Herb Block is among the world’s best known and most admired political cartoonists. Born on October 13, 1909, the native Chicagoan spent his 72-year career fighting against abuses of the powerful.
Our Commitment
The Herb Block Foundation is committed to defending the basic freedoms guaranteed all Americans, combating all forms of discrimination and prejudice and improving the conditions of the poor and underprivileged through the creation or support of charitable and educational programs with the same goals.
The Foundation is also committed to providing educational opportunity to deserving students through post-secondary education scholarships and to promoting editorial cartooning through continued research. All efforts of the Foundation shall be in keeping with the spirit of Herblock, America's great cartoonist in his life long fight against abuses by the powerful.