The unlikely origin of America's most enduring political symbols
In short: The donkey and the elephant are often seen as bumbling or clumsy, making them unflattering mascots for any political party. Yet, these animals have defined American partisan identity for over a century. Their journey from insults to icons is a story of clever rebranding and the power of political caricature.
The association began not as a badge of honor, but as a series of insults. In 1828, opponents of Andrew Jackson used the term "jackass" to mock his presidential campaign. This early use of the donkey was primarily linked to Jackson's personal campaign rather than the broader party structure. While the symbol persisted during his term, the connection eventually drifted from the public consciousness.
However, Jackson performed a masterful feat of political rebranding: rather than rejecting the slur, he embraced the donkey, reframting the animal as a symbol of steadfastness and determination rather than mere obstinacy. This transformation turned a derogatory label into a mark of willfulness. It established a precedent for using animal imagery to convey political character, even if the connection was not immediately permanent.
While Jackson's use of the donkey faded, the symbol was resurrected decades later by Thomas Nast, a prolific cartoonist for Harper’s Magazine between 1862 and 1886. Nast was a fierce Republican loyalist—so much so that President Abraham Lincoln reportedly called him his "best recruiting general." Nast used his immense influence to disparage his political enemies, specifically the "Copperheads, In a January 15, 1870, cartoon, Nast depicted the donkey kicking a dead lion to represent the deceased press secretary E.M. Stanton. This specific illustration was intended to attack the Copperhead press for disrespecting Lincoln's administration. Through his work in the 1880s, Nast's frequent use of the donkey ensured the Democratic Party became permanently linked to the animal. While he popularized the donkey, he was not the very first person to use it for the Democrats. The elephant, meanwhile, serves as a counterpart representing the Republican side, though its origins are often viewed through the lens of Nast's mastery of the medium.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Why Do a Donkey and an Elephant Represent Democrats and Republicans?
- Also: Political Animals: Republican Elephants and Democratic Donkeys
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