National Cartoonists Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
Industry retrospective evidence supports a National Cartoonists Society initiative first observed May 5, 1999; the Library of Congress independently verifies the May 5, 1895 Hogan’s Alley color-publication milestone used for the date.
About National Cartoonists Day
National Cartoonists Day is observed on May 5 to recognize cartoonists and the many forms of cartooning, from comic strips and editorial cartoons to illustration and animation.
Industry retrospective coverage traces the observance to a National Cartoonists Society initiative first celebrated in 1999.
Why National Cartoonists Day matters
The day highlights the craft, cultural influence and professional work of cartoonists across print and digital media.
Celebrating cartooning does not make published cartoons free to reuse; copyright, licensing and attribution still apply.
History of National Cartoonists Day
The Daily Cartoonist’s 2024 silver-anniversary retrospective identifies 1999 as the beginning of National Cartoonists Day and credits a National Cartoonists Society committee effort.
May 5 was chosen to connect the observance with a milestone in newspaper-cartoon history.
The Library of Congress records that on May 5, 1895 the New York World published the first color Hogan’s Alley newspaper comic, featuring the character later known as the Yellow Kid.
Some modern holiday references give 1990 as the founding year, but the 25th-anniversary industry record and contemporaneous 1999 examples support 1999 as the inaugural observance.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
National Cartoonists Society / National Cartoonists Day committee
Industry retrospective coverage attributes the initiative to the National Cartoonists Society and its National Cartoonists Day committee.
National Cartoonists Society
National Cartoonists Society National Cartoonists Day initiative
First documented observance
The 2024 industry retrospective identifies 1999 as the first year and shows multiple May 5, 1999 observance examples.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
3 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe National Cartoonists Day
Read work by several cartoonists and explore how different formats use drawing, pacing, captions and visual storytelling.
Thank or support a working cartoonist by buying authorized work, subscribing, attending an event or sharing an official link.
Create an original cartoon or classroom exercise inspired by a theme rather than copying another artist’s protected characters or panels.
When posting historical or modern cartoon images, use public-domain material or content you have permission or a license to share.
National Cartoonists Day Facts
National Cartoonists Day falls on May 5.
Industry retrospective coverage supports 1999 as the first observance.
The National Cartoonists Society is credited with the initiative.
The May 5 date connects to the May 5, 1895 color Hogan’s Alley milestone documented by the Library of Congress.
The common 1990 founding claim conflicts with the evidence-supported 1999 inaugural chronology.
National Cartoonists Day Messages
Support cartoonists by sharing authorized links, buying their work or subscribing where you can.
Celebrate cartooning while respecting copyright—use original, public-domain or properly licensed images.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Library of Congress — Featuring the Funnies (opens in a new tab)
National Library History
Christian Science Monitor — National Cartoonists Day (opens in a new tab)
Established Publication
The Daily Cartoonist — 25 Years of National Cartoonists Days (opens in a new tab)
Industry History
The Daily Cartoonist (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Cartoonists Day?
5 May The documented recurrence rule is: 5 May.
Does National Cartoonists Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National Cartoonists Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / cartoonist-recognition observance associated with the National Cartoonists Society. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Cartoonists Day?
The reviewed sources identify National Cartoonists Society as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as National Cartoonists Society / National Cartoonists Day committee.
Is National Cartoonists Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / cartoonist-recognition observance associated with the National Cartoonists Society.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-29.
When is National Cartoonists Day?
It is observed on May 5.
Who started National Cartoonists Day?
Industry histories credit a National Cartoonists Society initiative, with the first observance in 1999.
Why May 5?
The date references the May 5, 1895 color publication of Hogan’s Alley in the New York World, a milestone documented by the Library of Congress.
Can I repost cartoons to celebrate?
Only when you have permission, a suitable license or a public-domain basis. Linking to the creator’s authorized page is a safer default.
Other observances on May 5
These observances are also listed on May 5, 2027.
African World Heritage Day
Indian Arrival Day
Office of the President of Guyana
International Day of the Midwife
ICM and UNFPA material support annual 5 May recurrence and ICM establishment of the observance in 1992.
Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day)
Japan’s National Holidays Act establishes Children’s Day on May 5; Cabinet Office historical material documents its original 1948 establishment and date-selection rationale.
Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag)
Dutch government and National Committee sources verify May 5 Liberation Day, its 1946 establishment, 1968 fixed-date rule and current official public-holiday status; employee day-off entitl…
National Astronaut Day
The White House issued a National Astronaut Day message on 5 May 2026 honoring Alan Shepard’s first American human spaceflight; the observance’s organizer describes May 5 as the annual date.