National Cartoonists Society

The National Cartoonists Society grew out of the so-called "chalk talks" that a number of cartoonists did for the troops during World War II. The Society was officially formed in March of 1946 with Rube Goldberg as its first president. Within two weeks, the society had 32 members. As of 2011, the Society has 16 regional chapters and continues to foster cartoonists' involvement in worthy causes. See the NCS website at http://www.reuben.org for more information.

The Cartoonist Society was founded in March 1946 by Rube Goldberg, Russell Patterson, Milton Caniff, C.D. Russell, Otto Soglow, Ernie Bushmiller, and Gus Edson. The purposes of the Society are to further the art of cartooning while maintaining high professional standards; to ensure just rights and compensation; to provide supportive social contacts for cartoonists and to be a good citizen in the larger community. From the original twenty-six members, the organization has grown rapidly over the years, reflecting this expansion in its present name, the National Cartoonists Society.