The State Historical Society of Missouri honors the legacy of renowned St. Louis editorial cartoonist Tom Engelhardt, who died on July 28, 2024, at the age of 93.
In 2010, Tom and his family generously donated over 8,000 of his original drawings to SHSMO, which significantly expanded the Society’s collection of editorial cartoons. Most of these artworks were originally published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch during Tom’s long career at the paper from 1962-1997. Additionally, Engelhardt was interviewed for a SHSMO oral history, and he and his family have contributed numerous documents and photographs to the Society’s manuscript collection.
Born in St. Louis in 1930, Thomas “Tom” Alexander Engelhardt studied art in St. Louis and Denver before serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. While serving in the U.K. in 1954, he enrolled in the art program at Oxford University under the G.I. Bill. During this period, he hitchhiked around Europe, visiting art museums and meeting diverse people. Upon his return to the U.S. in 1956, Tom continued his studies in New York City, where he met his future wife Katherine “Kath” McCue. The couple married in 1960 and had four children: Christine, Mark, Marybeth, and Carol.
Shortly after returning to St. Louis in 1962, Engelhardt was hired as the editorial cartoonist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His political views aligned with the paper's left-of-center editorial policy, and throughout his 40-year career, his cartoons addressed America’s controversial issues and significant events. His drawings responded directly to historical events as they happened with poignancy and humor. The Engelhart cartoon collection is one of the great cultural treasures in the State Historical Society’s art collection, and Tom Engelhardt will be greatly missed. Funeral services and his obituary is posted here: