OLIVER HARRINGTON

UNITED STATES, 1912-95

A breakout Africanamerican cartoonist whose work was gaining national recognition while living in the United States, Harrington emigrated to Europe in 1951 to avoid the attention of the FBI and House Un-american Activities Committee that was targeting vocal civil rights activists such as himself. He first settled in Paris, but a decade later became suspicious of US surveillance and moved to East Germany where he enjoyed a solid career as a cartoonist, often commenting on American affairs to a delighted audience. After the fall of the Soviet Union he began making trips back to the US for public appearances, but still lived in Germany.