UE’s Think Outside the Lunch Box to Feature History Professor and Editorial Cartoonist James MacLeod

If you read the Evansville Courier & Press, chances are that in recent weeks, you’ve seen James MacLeod’s editorial cartoons on the Occupy movement, the Penn State scandal, and Black Friday shopping. The cartoons are among more than 150 that MacLeod, a University of Evansville professor of history, has sold to media outlets around the nation this year.

As part of UE’s Think Outside the Lunch Box Faculty Speaker Series, MacLeod will present “Win, Lose, and Draw: My Life as an Editorial Cartoonist” at noon on Thursday, December 1, in the Blue & Gold Room on the first floor of Old National Bank’s headquarters in Downtown Evansville. The event is free and open to the public.

“I’ve always been interested in politics and history, which led me to a career as a history professor and also inspired me to create editorial cartoons,” MacLeod says. “At this month’s Think Outside the Lunch Box, I’ll discuss the intersection of these two worlds and the process of creating a cartoon. I’ll also share some of the challenges inherent in cartooning, from striking a balance between incisiveness and humor to simply finding the time to draw as a full-time faculty member and a father of three.”

MacLeod has been drawing cartoons since high school and has illustrated five books and published cartoons in numerous magazines and newspapers. He has won several cartooning awards, including the Union of Concerned Scientists national contest in 2006. His editorial cartoons appear regularly in the Evansville Courier and Press and at the Boston Globe’s Red Sox website, and his cartoons have appeared on numerous websites and blogs such as Atlantic Monthly and Salon.com. MacLeod also runs a daily cartoon blog, MacLeod Cartoons.

MacLeod, a native of Scotland, was educated at the University of Edinburgh, where he received a Master of Arts in 1988 and a PhD in 1993. He taught history and British studies at Harlaxton College, UE’s British campus, from 1994-1999. Since 1999, MacLeod has been a member of the Department of History at UE. He was named UE’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 2009.

UE’s Think Outside the Lunch Box Faculty Speaker Series is in its second year and is held the first Thursday of every month. Please note that next month’s presentation will take place January 12, the second Thursday of the month.

“One of the great things about an institution of higher learning such as the University of Evansville is our intellectual capital — our faculty’s depth of knowledge on a wide variety of subjects,” said UE President Thomas A. Kazee. “This series is a tremendous opportunity to partner with the community and share expert perspectives on current issues.”

MacLeod will speak for about 30 minutes, with 15 minutes allotted for questions and answers. Attendees are welcome to eat lunch during the presentation. There is a restaurant conveniently located in the Old National Bank lobby.