American Calligraphy #10: Neon

ABCs of the USA: The stories behind America’s most distinctive calligraphy styles. 

Neon capitals. 

Introduced to the US in 1923, neon lighting had spread from New York City to Las Vegas by the 1930s, to become synonymous with America's flashy advertising and glamorous nightlife. 

Gradually eclipsed by today's programmable giant screens, "classic" neon signs show the designer's ingenuity in transforming glass tubes into letters. Many neon signs imitate continuous lines of connected script, while individual capital letters can either be made with separate segments or the lines are "interrupted" with heavy black paint.  

It's fun to look carefully at signs made of neon tubes, and see how each one solves the fundamental design challenges. Keep your eyes open and pay attention to surviving examples of this luminous art. Each one is custom-made. A recent book, Almost Lost Arts, profiles a handful of remaining artisans who are dedicated to preserving old neon signs as historic national treasures. And when you're next in Las Vegas, visit the Neon Museum (or take a virtual tour, though it charges a fee)

American Calligraphy #8: The Cherokee syllabary

ABCs of the USA: The stories behind America’s most distinctive calligraphy styles.

Nearly two centuries ago, on Feb 21, 1828, in New Echota, Georgia, the first newspaper in the Cherokee language was published. This writing system was invented by Sequoyah (c 1770-1843), who wanted his fellow Cherokee to be able to read their own language in book pages, which he called "talking leaves." The hand-lettering and type he created were based on some of the forms of the Roman alphabet but not its sounds. (Thus, the three letters above are the Cherokee letters for "U S A.")

Since its inception, linguists have admired its capacity to spell out any language.  

Cherokee speakers kept its use alive, despite the tribe's forcible relocation by the US government from North Carolina to Oklahoma, a journey known as "the trail of tears." Although recently spoken by as few as 1500 people, its use is increasing again through education and advocacy. 

For more history: 

    In this week of Presidential birthdays we can also honor the memory of all that was lost through the failure of the colonizers to recognize the cultural integrity of the native people whose land they invaded.