Buffalo Museum Cancels Event Following Controversy Over Texas Flood Cartoon Backlash

The event that highlighted the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Adam Zyglis at the Buffalo History Museum was postponed following intense public backlash and alleged death threats over one of his recent illustrations. The cartoon in question depicted a man in a MAGA hat nearly submerged in floodwaters, holding a sign reading “HELP,” while another speech bubble said, “Gov’t is the problem, not the solution.” This illustration, published by The Buffalo News, was a commentary on the floods in Texas and received significant criticism.

The Buffalo Newspaper Guild, which was organizing the “Drawing Support for Local Journalism” event at the museum, decided to postpone due to safety concerns and threats linked to the cartoon. Local police confirmed that their Threat Management Unit is actively investigating the death threats against Zyglis.

The flood in central Texas, which Zyglis commented on, had severe repercussions, resulting in numerous deaths and missing persons. The incident raised questions regarding the National Weather Service’s warnings and the impact of governmental staffing cuts. The Buffalo History Museum’s event aimed to celebrate a retrospective of Zyglis’s work, while simultaneously launching a local journalism support campaign. The guild expressed condemnation for those attempting to silence the press and reaffirmed the importance of a free press. They plan to reschedule the event and urge public support against intimidation tactics targeting journalists. Both Zyglis and The Buffalo News have yet to respond publicly.