James Daugherty – American Illustrator and Author 1889-1974

James Daugherty is primarily remem­bered for his inspired expression of the Ameri­can spirit in both visual and literary form, a spirit characterized by appreciation for the heroes of democracy and the affirmation of Manifest Destiny. James Daugherty confessed that his first reading of the poet Walt Whitman, when he was a young art student in England, was life­ changing for him: “I took fire from his vision of America.” This fire inspired murals in public places and, later, book illustrations with swirling lines, energetic rhythm, humor, and a compas­sionate view of humanity.

Whitman’s inspira­tion also found expression in Daugherty’s care­fully composed dedicatory pages, his popular Random House/Landmark volumes, and lively biographical accounts of American heroes. His biographies include the winner of the 1940 Newbery Medal, Daniel Boone (1939); Poor Rich­ard, about Benjamin Franklin (1941); Abraham Lincoln (1943); and Of Courage Undaunted, about Lewis and Clark (1951). Some readers of Daniel Boone have commented on what they perceived as offhand treatment of American In­dians and African Americans; in fact, the histor­ical times were accurately reflected.

James Daugherty began to create art for young peo­ple in the mid-1920s when Doubleday’s May Massee suggested he illustrate Daniel Boone, Wilderness Scout (1926), written by Stewart E. White. He subsequently became one of the best- known American illustrators of children’s books, illustrating more than forty books by other authors. One of his most felicitous collab­orations was with Carl Sandburg in Abe Lin­coln Grows Up (1928), which remains an out­standing example of the book as art form, a seamless integration of subject, word, and im­age. For Daugherty, line and design were fore­most and to simplify was “the first of all the commandments.” His work was exhibited in many one-man shows and is represented in a number of art collections.

James Daugherty’s writing career did not begin un­til after he was well established as an illustrator. He first created text to go with his drawings in Andy and the Lion (1938), an Original version of the Androcles tale, which was a Caldecott Honor Book. Lynd Ward praised it as , a model picture book worthy of study by other writer-artists: “The interlocking relationship between the word and picture . . . has been carried several steps farther than I have seen it in any other place.”

Nearly twenty years later, James Daugherty’s illus­trations for Gillespie arid the Guards (1957), writ­ten by Benjamin Elkin, was also a Caldecott Honor Book. This story with folktale elements is about a boy who cleverly outwits the king’s sharpsighted guards. In the turbulent 1960s, Daugherty chose to illustrate his own selections from the writings of Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau for young people: Walt Whitman’s America (1964) and Henry David Thoreau, A Man for Our Time (1967).

James Daugherty’s art and texts combine gusto, ex­uberance, and rich detail — singing, with Whit­man, a song of America. In his Newbery accep­tance speech in 1940, Daugherty summed up the spirit of his major lifework: “Wit and taste, beauty and joy are as much a necessary part of the democratic heritage as economics and the utilities… Children’s books are a part of that art of joy and joy in art that is the certain inalien­able right of free people.”

E.C.H.

Source: Children’s Books and their Creators, Anita Silvey.

Works Written and Illustrated by Daugherty

Daugherty’s dual talents as a writer and artist shine in these works, many of which focus on American history and folklore.

• Andy and the Lion (Viking Press, 1938). A retelling of the Androcles tale, this was Daugherty’s debut as a writer-artist and a Caldecott Honor Book in 1939.
• Daniel Boone (Viking Press, 1939). A biography of the famous frontiersman, this work won the Newbery Medal in 1940.
• Poor Richard (Viking Press, 1941). A biography of Benjamin Franklin.
• Abraham Lincoln (Viking Press, 1943). A biography of the sixteenth president of the United States.
• The Wild, Wild West (Viking Press, 1948). A collection of original poetry and illustrations about the American West.
• The Landing of the Pilgrims (Random House, 1950). Part of the Landmark Books series, this volume recounts the journey of the Pilgrims to the New World.
• Of Courage Undaunted: Across the Continent with Lewis and Clark (Viking Press, 1951). An account of the famous expedition, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of the journey.
• Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, Pioneers of Oregon (Viking Press, 1953). A biography of the missionary pioneers who established a settlement in the Oregon Territory.
• West of Boston (Viking Press, 1956). A collection of original poetry reflecting on American life and landscape.
• William Blake (Viking Press, 1960). A biographical work on the English poet and artist, incorporating reproductions of Blake’s own drawings alongside Daugherty’s commentary.
• Walt Whitman’s America (Viking Press, 1964). Daugherty served as editor and illustrator for this collection of Whitman’s poetry, presenting the poet’s vision of nineteenth-century America.
• The Magna Charta (Random House, 1956). A historical account of the signing of the Magna Carta and its significance in the development of constitutional liberty.

Selected Works Illustrated for Other Authors

Before establishing himself as an author, Daugherty was a sought-after illustrator for other writers, contributing to a wide range of literary and historical texts.

• White, Stewart Edward. Daniel Boone, Wilderness Scout (Doubleday, Page & Co., 1922). One of Daugherty’s early commissions, which helped launch his career in book illustration.
• Sandburg, Carl. Abe Lincoln Grows Up (Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1928). A widely acclaimed edition of Sandburg’s biography of Lincoln for younger readers, featuring Daugherty’s distinctive illustrations.
• Swift, Hildegarde. The Railroad to Freedom: A Story of the Civil War (Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1932). A biography of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.
• Hunt, Mabel Leigh. Better Known as Johnny Appleseed (1930). A biographical account of John Chapman, illustrated by Daugherty.
• Elkin, Benjamin. Gillespie and the Guards (1956). A children’s story about a Scottish piper and his bagpipes, for which Daugherty’s humorous illustrations earned a Caldecott Honor.
• Dickens, Charles. Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of ‘Eighty (Books, Inc., 1941). A notable edition of the Dickens classic, illustrated by Daugherty.
• Lincoln, Abraham. Gettysburg Address. Daugherty illustrated various editions of this historic speech, bringing visual weight to Lincoln’s words.
• Daugherty, Sonia. James Daugherty illustrated many of the children’s books written by his wife, Sonia Daugherty, including The Way of an Eagle and The Wings of an Eagle.

Selected Contributions to Series

Daugherty contributed illustrations and text to several notable series for young readers.

• Landmark Books (Random House). Daugherty contributed The Landing of the Pilgrims (1950) and The Magna Charta (1956) to this celebrated series of American and world history for children.
• Scribner Illustrated Classics. Daugherty’s illustrations appeared in several volumes of this distinguished series, bringing his modernist aesthetic to classic works of literature.

Major Awards and Recognition

• 1939: Caldecott Honor for Andy and the Lion
• 1940: Newbery Medal for Daniel Boone
• 1957: Caldecott Honor for Gillespie and the Guards (illustrated for Benjamin Elkin)