Since 1918, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has shared the incredible, unusual, and hard-to-believe through its iconic daily cartoon. Started by Robert Ripley himself, the cartoon continues today as the world’s longest-running syndicated cartoon and the origin of the Believe It or Not! brand.
But one of Robert Ripley’s most famous cartoons did more than entertain readers. It helped change American history.
The Cartoon That Shocked the Nation
On November 3, 1929, just one week after the stock market crash, Robert Ripley made a bold claim in his first Sunday panel for William Randolph Hearst: America had no national anthem.
At the time, “The Star-Spangled Banner” was widely recognized and regularly performed, but it had never been officially adopted by Congress. Ripley’s cartoon pointed out that the song was still unofficial and, adding fuel to the fire, that its melody actually came from an old English drinking song.
The panel sparked a massive national conversation. A little more than a year later, Congress passed a one-sentence bill officially making “The Star-Spangled Banner” the national anthem of the United States. On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed it into law.
A single Ripley cartoon had helped inspire a defining moment in American history.
The Missing Original Sketch
While the printed cartoon became historic, the original, hand-drawn Robert Ripley sketch mysteriously disappeared.
Somewhere out there, the original artwork behind the Star-Spangled Banner cartoon may still exist. It could be tucked away in a private archive, framed in a hidden collection, or sitting unnoticed in a box in someone’s attic.
Now, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is launching a worldwide search to bring this incredible piece of American history home.
How You Can Help (And Get Rewarded)
Think you can track down a piece of history? We are putting a massive bounty on this missing artifact.
💰 The Bounty: Help find Ripley’s lost cartoon: $5,000 Reward + 4 Lifetime Passes!
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is launching a worldwide search for the cartoon that helped change American history!
A reward will be offered for credible information that leads to the acquisition of the missing cartoon.
Details:
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If you have information that could lead to the discovery or purchase of the original artwork, we want to hear from you.
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Have information about the location of the original Robert Ripley Star-Spangled Banner cartoon? Click here !
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Your tip could help recover a historic piece of American pop culture and earn you an unforgettable reward!
Submit Your Tip Below
Do you have a lead? Click the link below to securely submit your information and help us find the cartoon that changed American history.