Darling had said the hardest thing for him to do was to take a complex global issue and boil it down to a single editorial cartoon. From what I have seen from his speeches and letters, his mind worked in that way as well, that is to say, he did not beat around the bush-- he was clear, concise and direct--no matter who you were, he let you know what he was thinking.

Kristie Anders, Education Director

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

 

Long before he was known as a conservationist and wildlife artist, Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling was one of the nation's most important editorial cartoonists. He got his start at the Sioux City Journal, but it was with the Des Moines Register and Leader (now the Des Moines Register) that he made his reputation. Beginning in Des Moines in 1906, Darling's prominently displayed front page cartoon attracted a wide readership and played a prominent role in transforming the struggling newspaper into the statewide "Newspaper Iowa Depends Upon." He won two Pulitzer Prizes for his political cartoons, which graced the Register for more than 40 years, and a front page editorial cartoon remained a staple at the Register through 2008. This renown as a political cartoonist made Darling a national figure, allowing him to become a vigorous proponent of the conservation movement.

Dr. William Friedricks, Director

Iowa History Center at Simpson College 

 

America's Darling is a timely look back at a man who transcended conventional mores. Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling was a visionary and pragmatist, a staunch believer in personal responsibility and public service. As an avid hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman, "Ding" Darling witnessed firsthand the vanishing of wildlife populations and the destruction of natural resources. When "Ding" saw a problem, he didn't just complain about it, he took action. He acted through the gift of his artistic talent and keen wit as a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner editorial cartoonist. He acted through his inspirational leadership and political savvy to form alliances across the political spectrum to achieve landmark conservation successes, both in the public and private sector. America's Darling is appropriately named because it celebrates a man who brought people of different interests together for a common purpose - saving America's wildlife. "Ding" Darling was not only a man ahead of his time, he was a man for all times. In this sense, he truly was America's Darling.

Paul Tritaik, Wildlife Refuge Manager

J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge Complex