Life — July 30, 1925 — page 35: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon from *Life* magazine depicting a nightmarish scene. A young Black child stands barefoot before a haunted tree, with an owl perched atop a billboard advertising "Get a FISK" (likely Fisk tires or a related product). The text reads "Time to Re-tire." The cartoon uses racist imagery and fear-mongering stereotypes common to early 20th-century American advertising and entertainment. The grotesque tree, owl, and eerie moon create a deliberately frightening atmosphere associated with minstrelsy and racist caricature traditions. The satire appears to mock either the Fisk brand's advertising approach or broader American consumer culture that exploited and marginalized Black Americans through dehumanizing imagery. **Note:** This reflects deeply offensive historical propaganda; its inclusion here serves educational/archival purposes only.