National
Racist Dr. Seuss Drawing Up for Auction
Ted “Dr. Seuss” Geisel at work on a drawing of The Grinch. (Al Ravenna, World Telegram staff photographer – Library of Congress)
Melonyce McAfee, CNN
(CNN) –A California auction house is selling an early drawing by Dr. Seuss that’s sure to disappoint the parents and children who adore his later work.
The 1929 color illustration for “Judge” magazine depicts a blatantly racist scenario and uses a slur to describe black people. It’s being auctioned for a minimum bid of $20,000.
In the four-panel drawing titled ”Cross-Section of The World’s Most Prosperous Department Store,” the artist depicts scenarios in which rich men can purchase items to make their lives more difficult.
These include a fly for your ointment and a monkey wrench for your machinery. The final and largest panel features a crowd of men rendered in classic blackface caricature, with dark skin and pronounced red lips, being presented to a white shopper. A sign reads: “A n—- for your woodpile.”
###
