Judge — January 31, 1903 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "The Question the South is Asking" This 1903 *Judge* magazine cover satirizes racial segregation and postal discrimination in the American South. The illustration shows a Black postmaster at a window labeled "Postmaster of Your Town," surrounded by notices reading "Rules by Order Negro Postmaster" and "Negro Postmaster." The caption asks: "Why don't you try it at home, in the North?" The satire critiques Northern hypocrisy—while Northerners claimed moral superiority on racial issues, they too practiced segregation and discrimination. The cartoon suggests that rigid racial hierarchies and exclusionary rules weren't uniquely Southern problems but reflected nationwide prejudice. The appointment of Black postmasters was itself controversial during this era, making the position a focal point for racial tension.