Appropriate group for the Jamestown exposition 1907

Louis Glackens created this cartoon for the Jamestown Exposition, a world fair held in 1907 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. It depicts the popular, yet historically dubious, story of Pocahontas saving John Smith from execution by her tribe. Glackens uses caricature to lampoon the way American history is memorialized. He emphasizes the racial and cultural tensions inherent in the Jamestown narrative. The artist exaggerates the features of the figures, turning them into grotesque parodies of their historical counterparts. The Native Americans are portrayed as brutish figures, while John Smith is rendered helpless and absurd. This piece reflects early twentieth-century anxieties about race, immigration, and national identity. By satirizing a foundational myth of American history, Glackens invites viewers to critically examine the stories we tell ourselves about our past, and how those stories shape our understanding of who we are. The cartoon’s humor serves as a biting commentary on the complexities and contradictions of American identity.