A big congratulation to Patrick Chappatte on winning this year's Overseas Press Club of America prize for Cartooning! The [until recently named] Thomas Nast Award is for "Best print, digital or graphic journalism on international affairs." The judges noted: "Patrick Chappatte’s cartoons … were a model of the form." Chappatte draws for the international edition of The New York Times and sits on the AAEC Board of Directors as its International Advisor.
[Ediotr's note: Until the end of last year, the OPCA award was named for Thomas Nast—long considered the father of American editorial cartooning—who was credited with creating the visual metaphor of donkies and elephants for the Democrat and Republican parties. Nast's cartoons were also know for their vicious attacks on the Catholic Church and Irish immigrants. Recently an organization of Irish-Catholic activists "outed" the cartoonist, who died in 1902, and insisted his potentially racist portrayal of immigrants should no longer be celebrated. The OPCA complied and renamed the prize "The Best Cartoon Award."]
