The Wasp — 1892 — page 292: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a physical confrontation between two men over a drawn line, illustrating racial segregation politics. One figure (labeled "Peter") has "whitewashed" the other (presumably "Jim"), referring to attempts to obscure or minimize racial distinctions or discrimination. The accompanying poem mocks this as hypocrisy—praising "Jim" for acting "square" in sports while simultaneously banishing him from crossing "the color line," a term for racial segregation barriers. The satire criticizes the contradiction of treating someone as equal in athletics while enforcing social segregation elsewhere. "The Referee" credits the poem, suggesting The Wasp uses sports metaphors to critique American racial discrimination and the hollow nature of partial inclusion without genuine equality.