Erwin Raisz and the Growth of Academic Cartography in the United States

Keywords: Cartography, History of Geography, AAG
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 2/26/2022 11:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/26/2022 12:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 18

Abstract

Erwin Raisz represents the vanguard of early American twentieth century cartography and is well known as the author of the first textbook in cartography in English in 1938. However, little has been discussed in detail about his contributions to the growth of cartography as an academic discipline. This paper explores Raisz’s work to organize cartography and his ardent membership of many professional geography and geology societies. In the early 1940s, he began to propel his ideas for the development of a cartographic professional society similar to that of other professional societies, such as the Association of American Geographers (AAG) or the American Geographical Society (AGS). He served on the first cartography committee of the AAG, serving as chair for several years and was the first map editor of the Annals of the AAG. At the same time, Raisz sat as the leading voice in cartography in the AAG when academic geography departments exploded in their offerings of cartography courses after WWII. This paper explores that exciting history, revealing interactions between Raisz and Arthur Robinson, examining the history of courses in cartography offered at academic institutions in the United States from 1900-1950, and concludes with the state of cartography in the mid-1950s in academia.