Content note: A boxing cartoon that includes a Black boxer drawn in period caricature style and speaking in written dialect, and Latin American stereotypes, as published in 1940. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Gaucho Serenade
A cartoon of boxer Arturo Godoy crouching, surrounded by song-title thought clouds ('The South American Way', 'South of the Border', 'El Rancho Grande') and small panels of other boxers, including a Black boxer in a clinch who speaks in written dialect about 'these Latin fellers'. The tell, a weak fit, is transfer: popular-song associations are attached to the fighter and to the bout.
Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon
- Date
- June 19, 1940
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Washington Evening Star (cartoonist Jim Berryman)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Cartoon
- Issuer type
- Media
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Theme
- Race and ethnicity
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives (NARA), Records of the U.S. Senate, Jim Berryman Political Cartoons (NAID 5730852), retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Jim Berryman, Washington Evening Star. National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the U.S. Senate, 5743119 (NAID 5743119).
Text on the object
"CONFUCIUS, SHE SAY SMART SENOR CAN SAVE FACE WITH FAST FEET!" "THE SOUTH AMERICAN WAY" MAY COP THE CROWN "SOUTH OF THE BORDER" FOR THE NEXT TITLE FIGHT "EL RANCHO GRANDE" WITH CHAMPIONSHIP DO-RE-MI "STARLIT HOUR"....WHICH FOLLOWS JOE'S SUNDAY PUNCH MUST BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS........... Arturo GODOY.... WILL HEAR SWEET MUSIC AS HE CROUCHES IN THE RING TOMORROW NIGHT FOR A SECOND SHOT AT JOE LOUIS' HEAVYWEIGHT LAURELS...... "DOGGONE! THESE LATIN FELLERS SHO' AM ROMANTIC.. AN' THEY PUTS A REAL KICK IN THEIR HUGGIN'!" "YOU THINK OF EVERYTHING"...... WHEN YOU'RE UP AGAINST LOUIS.. ---IF YOU DON'T YOU'LL BE ON THE CANVAS LIKE THE OTHERS.... "AH WONDER EF HE'S LOOKIN' FO' DIMES.. MEBBE TH' CUSTOMERS TOSSES COINS DOWN IN CHILLY!" "FOOLS RUSH IN" AGAINST THE BOMBER.... STAY IN YOUR SELF-HUDDLE AND MAKE HIM COME TO YOU!...... Jim Berryman
