1941 Wisner and Minneapolis Morning Tribune Map of the Philippines

William H. Wisner (1894 - December 11, 1963) was the manager of the editorial art department of The Chicago Tribune. Born in Brooklyn, Wisner attended Columbia University and the College of the City of New York. He then attended the Julian academy in Paris where he received his formal art training. He began working for the Tribune in 1913, but left the newspaper during World War I to serve as an attache to the inter-allied mission for propaganda. He rejoined the Tribune in 1919 as head of its editorial art department. Wisner held several posts over the course of his career with the Tribune, including several influential and revolutionary positions concerning the integration of photography into the newspaper. His greatest work, though, was 'when he devoted himself entirely to the complicated task of preparing full-color map which provided Tribune readers with up-to-the-minute developments on the global battlefronts.' In 1948, Wisner resumed full management of the editorial art department and held that position until his retirement in January 1963. More by this mapmaker...

The Minneapolis Tribune (1867 - present) was founded by Colonel William S. King, William D. Washburn, and Dorilus Morrison and the first issue was published on May 25, 1867. In 1941, the Cowles family of Des Moines, Iowa bought the Tribune and merged it with their other holdings in Minneapolis, giving the Cowles family ownership of all the city's major newspapers. The Tribune became the city's morning newspaper, and the Star-Journal was the evening newspaper. The two published a joint Sunday edition. The newspaper is still published today, under the name Star Tribune. Learn More...