Baldridge, Cyrus Leroy, 1889-1977

Cyrus LeRoy Baldridge worked as a cowboy in Texas before joining the Army Expeditionary Forces and then the staff of "Stars & Stripes" as a cartoonist. After leaving the Army, he spent years traveling around the world, gathering ideas that later appeared in his books. He wrote "Americanism: what is it?" and his autobiography "Time and Chance," and contributed articles to periodicals including "New Republic," "Century," and "Scribners Magazine."

From the description of Cyrus Leroy Baldridge papers, 1935-1953. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 63301744

Cyrus Leroy Baldridge (1889-1977) was an artist, illustrator, author and adventurer. He was born to a wealthy ne¿er-do-well and a spunky, proto-feminist in Alton, Illinois, in 1889. When very young, his mother left his abusive father and began a nomadic life as a drummer, a traveling sales person, selling kitchen equipment from town to town. Devoted to this strong woman, Baldridge¿s personality absorbed her courageous and independent spirit and led him to a life of quite exceptional individualism.

From the description of Baldridge, Cyrus Leroy, 1889-1977 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10570698

Cyrus Leroy Baldridge was born in 1889 in Alton, New York to William Baldridge and Charity Eliza Burgdorf. Baldridge attended the University of Chicago, where he received his Ph.B in 1911 in English Literature. While attending the University, Baldridge drew cartoons for the Maroon and for Cap and Gown.

Baldridge became a cavalryman for the Illinois National Guard, and eventually left for Europe in 1914 to cover the war on his own. He served in WWI for the French and American armies as a field artist and then an artist for Stars and Stripes.

After the war and brief stints as a commercial artist, Baldridge traveled around the world sketching with his wife, Caroline Singer. They returned to the United States after 1932. Baldridge became president of the National Association of Commercial Arts and commander of the Willard Straight Post of the American Legion. In 1936 Baldridge wrote a pamphlet at the request of the Americanism Committee of the New York County American Legion. Titled “Americanism-What Is It?” the pamphlet sparked debates across the country over the purported communist sentiments behind the piece.

Baldridge’s other publications include I Was There and his autobiography Time and Chance (1947). In addition to illustrating many books, Baldridge co-wrote White Africans and Black (1929) and Half the World is Isfahan (1936) with Singer.

Cyrus Leroy Baldridge died in 1975.

From the guide to the Baldridge, Cyrus Leroy. Papers, 1936-1937, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)