Mike Konopacki
Encyclopedia
Mike Konopacki is an American
political cartoonist from Wisconsin
, specializing in labor issues.
(B.A.
in political science
), Konopacki began cartooning for the Madison Press Connection
in 1977, as the successor to Pete Wagner
.
) created their own syndication service, Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons. Huck and Konopacki have published six collections of cartoons: Bye! American, THEM, MAD in USA, Working Class Hero, Two Headed Space Alien Shrinks Labor Movement and American Dread.
's Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives. Ed Garvey
reports that Konopacki wanted to donate them to the Wisconsin Historical Society
, but refused, stating ""The Wisconsin Historical Society has been gutted. It's sad to have to give it to someone out of state, but the NYU collection is one of the leading labor archives outside Wisconsin."
, the World Bank
, and the World Trade Organization
, often in collaboration with writer Alec Dubro. He animated
the 1998 video Global Village or Global Pillage, narrated by Ed Asner
. In 2005, Konopacki illustrated the section, "Wobblies in the '60s" in Wobblies!: A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World In collaboration with Howard Zinn
and historian Paul Buhle
, he co-wrote and illustrated A People's History of American Empire
, a graphic novel
adaptation of Zinn's A People's History of the United States
. He has earned his M.A.
(2009) and M.F.A.
(2010) degrees from UW-Madison's School of Art. His MFA exhibit was titled, One Nation Under God.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political cartoonist from Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, specializing in labor issues.
Background and early career
A 1974 graduate of the University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
(B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
), Konopacki began cartooning for the Madison Press Connection
Madison Press Connection
Madison Press Connection was a newspaper formed in Madison, Wisconsin in October 1977 by striking union employees from the two dominant daily newspapers, the Wisconsin State Journal and The Capital Times. The Press Connection began as a weekly but became a daily early in 1978 in an effort to...
in 1977, as the successor to Pete Wagner
Pete Wagner
Pete Wagner is an American political cartoonist, activist, author, scholar and caricature artist whose work has been published in over 300 newspapers and other periodicals, and whose cartoons and activist theatrics have been the subject of controversy and frequent media attention.-Early...
.
Syndication
After the Connection went bankrupt in 1980, Konopacki began syndicating his work through the labor news service Press Associates, Inc. In 1983 he and Gary Huck (a cartoonist for the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of AmericaUnited Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America , is an independent democratic rank-and-file labor union representing workers in both the private and public sectors across the United States....
) created their own syndication service, Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons. Huck and Konopacki have published six collections of cartoons: Bye! American, THEM, MAD in USA, Working Class Hero, Two Headed Space Alien Shrinks Labor Movement and American Dread.
Archives of the syndicate
The business records of the early years of the partnership are archived in the Elmer Holmes Bobst LibraryElmer Holmes Bobst Library
The Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, often referred to as Bobst Library or Bobst, is the main library at New York University. Located at 70 Washington Square South between LaGuardia Place and the Schwartz pedestrian plaza, across from the southeast corner of Washington Square Park, it is named after...
's Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives. Ed Garvey
Ed Garvey
- Background :Edward Garvey graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and spent two years in the U.S. Army; he then returned to the University of Wisconsin Law School and earned a law degree.- Law and union work :...
reports that Konopacki wanted to donate them to the Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of North America, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin and the trans-Allegheny West...
, but refused, stating ""The Wisconsin Historical Society has been gutted. It's sad to have to give it to someone out of state, but the NYU collection is one of the leading labor archives outside Wisconsin."
Other work
Konopacki has created comics on a number of topics, including union organizing, welfare reformWelfare reform
Welfare reform refers to the process of reforming the framework of social security and welfare provisions, but what is considered reform is a matter of opinion. The term was used in the United States to support the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act...
, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, and the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
, often in collaboration with writer Alec Dubro. He animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
the 1998 video Global Village or Global Pillage, narrated by Ed Asner
Ed Asner
Edward Asner , commonly known as Ed Asner, is an American film, television, stage, and voice actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, primarily known for his Emmy Award-winning role as Lou Grant on both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off series, Lou Grant...
. In 2005, Konopacki illustrated the section, "Wobblies in the '60s" in Wobblies!: A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World In collaboration with Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
and historian Paul Buhle
Paul Buhle
Paul Merlyn Buhle is a Senior Lecturer at Brown University, author or editor of 35 volumes including histories of radicalism in the United States and the Caribbean, studies of popular culture, and a series of nonfiction comic art volumes. He is the authorized biographer of C. L. R...
, he co-wrote and illustrated A People's History of American Empire
A People's History of American Empire
A People's History of American Empire is a 2008 graphic history by Howard Zinn, Mike Konopacki, and Paul Buhle. The book combines material from Zinn's history book A People's History of the United States and his autobiography You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train with new material from other...
, a graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
adaptation of Zinn's A People's History of the United States
A People's History of the United States
Chapter 7, "As Long As Grass Grows or Water Runs" discusses 19th century conflicts between the U.S. government and Native Americans and Indian removal, especially during the administrations of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren....
Personal life
Konopacki lives in Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. He has earned his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(2009) and M.F.A.
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
(2010) degrees from UW-Madison's School of Art. His MFA exhibit was titled, One Nation Under God.
External links
- Mike Konopacki Toons
- Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons
- http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A53059O'Driscoll, Bill. "Cartoonist Mike Konopacki discusses adapting Howard Zinn's A People's History. Pittsburgh City PaperPittsburgh City PaperThe Pittsburgh City Paper is Pittsburgh's leading alternative weekly newspaper which focuses on local news, opinion, and arts and entertainment...
Oct. 2, 2008]