On this day in 1874, one of the most enduring symbols in American politics made its first appearance. The Republican Party’s elephant, now instantly recognizable during every election cycle, was introduced to the public through a political cartoon drawn by famed illustrator Thomas Nast and published in Harper’s Weekly. Though simple in appearance, its impact on political communication and national identity has lasted for a century and a half.
Nast, often called the “Father of the American Cartoon,” was already known for using sharp imagery to critique corruption, highlight social issues, and portray political personalities of his time. In his November 7, 1874 cartoon titled “The Third-Term Panic,” Nast used an elephant labeled “The Republican Vote” to symbolize the party. At the time, President Ulysses S. Grant was rumored to be seeking a third term, causing anxiety throughout the political landscape. Nast used the powerful and somewhat cautious elephant to show how the Republican base was reacting, strong but uncertain, enormous but capable of being startled by political maneuvers.
While symbols like the donkey for the Democratic Party had appeared earlier in satire, it was Nast’s consistent and clever use of these images that cemented them in American culture. Newspapers and pamphlets quickly adopted the elephant, and over the decades it became an official, universally recognized emblem of the GOP. Today, it remains a central feature in political branding, campaign materials, and civic education.
