Ray, Silvey Jackson (1891 - 1970)

S. J. Ray original cartoon artwork

Ray was a student at the Art Students League of New York and had served in the First World War between 1917 and 1919.  He joined the Kansas City Star in 1915 as an advertising illustrator and became the Star's editorial cartoonist in 1931. His cartoons were featured six times per week on the editorial page, and the demand for artwork was constant. Ray's work for The Star drew national attention, won awards from the U.S. Treasury Department and the Freedom Foundation, and was reprinted by the State Department to counter Soviet propaganda during the 1950s. Despite the recognition and accolades, Ray remained humble and partial to home. Once, he notoriously declined an invitation to lunch at the Pentagon, stating, “I won't even go downtown for lunch. How can I make it to the Pentagon?” After his retirement in 1963, Ray retreated to his 40-acre Clay County home, where he enjoyed painting rural scenes in watercolor.