Lithographed cotton textile featuring a stereotypical depiction of a grinning African American boy wearing an old, worn straw hat, holding a possum by the tail, with the following phrase below: Bill Possum he am good to eat, you'll always find 'um nice and sweet. Copyrighted lower left 1909 Campbell, Metzger, & Jacobson. 21.5 x 22.75 in. (sight), framed, 24.5 x 26 in. The copyright date of 1909 indicates that this was almost certainly made in reference to William H. Taft, also known as "Billy Possum." William Howard Taft, who was Theodore Roosevelt's preferred Presidential successor in 1908, was a reserved and conservative candidate in contrast with Roosevelt, who was extremely outgoing. Up until 1909, Taft gave political humorists and cartoonists little to work with, but this all changed when he attended a dinner in Georgia where he was served possum. He was quoted on that evening in early 1909 as saying that he was "for possum, first, last, and all the time." This statement took on a life of its own, leading to the birth of "Billy Possum." Cartoonists portrayed Taft as a possum, and the character also appeared on a variety of toys, china, campaign pins and other printed campaign ephemera. Provenance: Jim and Pat Gifford Collection of Political Americana Condition: Colors remain strong; few small spots on textile.
Lithographed cotton textile featuring a stereotypical depiction of a grinning African American boy wearing an old, worn straw hat, holding a possum by the tail, with the following phrase below: Bill Possum he am good to eat, you'll always find 'um nice and sweet. Copyrighted lower left 1909 Campbell, Metzger, & Jacobson. 21.5 x 22.75 in. (sight), framed, 24.5 x 26 in. The copyright date of 1909 indicates that this was almost certainly made in reference to William H. Taft, also known as "Billy Possum." William Howard Taft, who was Theodore Roosevelt's preferred Presidential successor in 1908, was a reserved and conservative candidate in contrast with Roosevelt, who was extremely outgoing. Up until 1909, Taft gave political humorists and cartoonists little to work with, but this all changed when he attended a dinner in Georgia where he was served possum. He was quoted on that evening in early 1909 as saying that he was "for possum, first, last, and all the time." This statement took on a life of its own, leading to the birth of "Billy Possum." Cartoonists portrayed Taft as a possum, and the character also appeared on a variety of toys, china, campaign pins and other printed campaign ephemera. Provenance: Jim and Pat Gifford Collection of Political Americana Condition: Colors remain strong; few small spots on textile.
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