no to independence
On the 250th anniversary of American independence, a Revolutionary War drummer expresses pride in continued civil discourse even as the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey grapple violently on the ground nearby.
On July 1 2026 Rick McKee depicts a clown-costumed Donald Trump raising balloon letters that spell AMERICA beneath the words HAPPY 250,TH. The figure wears a stars-and-stripes top hat and suit with a polka-dot bow tie and a yellow sign labels him THE BIRTHDAY CLOWN. The image marks the approach of the United States semiquincentennial on July 4 2026.
The cartoon depicts Thomas Jefferson standing on the shoulder of a British redcoat soldier while holding a document and reciting his quote on liberty as the parent of science and virtue. The redcoat wears a black tricorn hat with a Union Jack emblem. Jefferson appears in period blue coat and breeches. The quote box attributes the words directly to Jefferson. The image includes artist credits and website references at the bottom. Publication occurred on July 1, 2026.
Jul
1
2026
A sailing vessel named America appears on rough waters beneath stormy skies. The American flag flies from the mast with the number 250 added in red. Waves crash against the hull while lightning streaks through purple clouds on the right side of the scene.
Jul
1
2026
A British redcoat in 18th-century uniform stares ahead while a diminutive Thomas Jefferson perches on his shoulder and displays a handwritten quote on liberty. The 2026 image pairs the founding words with the opposing military figure to underscore the contrast between authority and freedom.
On July 1 2026 Bill Day depicts Donald Trump first dismissing Antifa threats in one panel then igniting the Constitution Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights in another while calling ICE for assistance. The scene shows the president holding a phone and lighter beside a red gas can as flames consume the documents on a table inside a columned hall with an American flag nearby.
Jun
30
2026
On June 30, 2026, a cartoon depicts Donald Trump lighting the fuse of a large American-flag firework rocket labeled 250th. The greeting Happy Birthday America carries an asterisk that expands into a lengthy parenthetical list of omitted groups including immigrants, blue states, LGBTQ individuals, women, trans athletes, scientists, medical professionals, Democrats, people of color, veterans, educators, Indigenous people, Muslims, environmentalists, liberals, RINOs, and journalists. The image appears days before the July 4, 2026, semiquincentennial.
Jun
30
2026
The image depicts a historical figure saluting against a backdrop of American flag and fireworks on June 30, 2026. The 250th anniversary of the United States approaches, and the cartoon emphasizes national values listed in a bottom banner: kindness, hope, peace, justice, equality, science, respect, diversity and love. The composition uses red, white and blue tones with celebratory pyrotechnics to frame the gesture.
Jun
30
2026
The cartoon displays the opening words of the U.S. Constitution scattered in disconnected segments across a plain background. A black banner at the top reads A DIVIDED COUNTRY. The arrangement of the familiar preamble text visually breaks the phrase into isolated parts. This presentation coincides with the approach of Independence Day on the 2026 calendar. The work draws attention to fractures within the national fabric without naming specific events or figures.
Jun
29
2026
On June 29, 2026, Joe Heller's cartoon depicts Uncle Sam, the Statue of Liberty, Benjamin Franklin, and a bald eagle debating elaborate names for America's 250th anniversary. Proposals range from semiquincentennial and sestercentennial to quarter millennium and bisesquicentennial. The group ultimately agrees on the straightforward greeting Happy Birthday, America, accompanied by a 250th banner. The exchange highlights the challenge of selecting a fitting term for the milestone tied to the 1776 founding.
