F.W. Dawson, The Charleston News and Courier, from the American Editors series (N35) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1887

Allen & Ginter created this chromolithograph card of F.W. Dawson, editor of The Charleston News and Courier, as part of their American Editors series. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs, a marketing strategy that reveals much about the social and cultural climate of the time. The portrait of Dawson is set against a backdrop of his newspaper's masthead, while the view of Charleston connects him to the city he served. Made in the late 19th century, this image promotes a figure deeply implicated in the complexities of post-Civil War Southern society. Dawson, a Confederate veteran, used his newspaper to advocate for the "Lost Cause" ideology and white supremacy. The card, therefore, is more than just a commercial item, it's a reflection of the power structures that shaped the era. To fully understand this card, we must examine the history of journalism, the rise of mass media, and the social and political ideologies that influenced both the subject and the producers of this artifact.