Commemorative Tattoos

Jodi Camp

FA 791 Manuscripts & Folklife Archives – Special Collections Library – Western Kentucky University

Commemorative Tattoos

In the past tattoos were looked on with distain and whispered about in hushed voices.

People were prejudice about tattoos thinking that if you had a tattoo you were considered to

be a criminal or have deep emotional issues. Some thought that if you had tattoos you were

part of a biker club or considered a freak. No one considered the reasons behind the tattoo.

Why did this person get that particular tattoo? Does it have a special meaning or did they just

like it at that point in their lives? Did they get it to remember someone important from their

lives that is no longer with them? People need to start thinking about the meaning behind the

tattoo, instead of seeing someone that marked their body.

The first appearance of the word “tattooing” in the English language was in 1893 by

Captain James Cook who observed

the practice on Tahiti in July 1769

(Jones, Written on the Body pg. 1).

Tattooing has existed long before

Greek culture (Ibid, pg. 2). The ‘Ice

Man’ found in the Alto Adige in

September 1991 was tattooed

(Ibid.). This find is dated between

3300 and 3200 BC (Ibid.). The

Egyptians were the first to provide

evidence for tattooing (Ibid.).

Tattoos were first found on

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mummies of the Eleventh Dynasty dated 2100BC (Ibid.). The color was applied with a pricking

instrument, probably made of one or more fish bones set into a wooden handle (Ibid.).

Tattooing is also found among the Israelites (Ibid.). Religious tattooing was used around the

Fertile Crescent and in Egypt (Ibid, pg. 6). Plutarch, a biographer, wrote centuries later, that the

Athenians would tattoo their Samian prisoners of war on the forehead and the Samians would

also tattoo their Athenian prisoners (Ibid, pg. 8). Plutarch also wrote that 30 years later after

the Athenians failure into Sicily in 413, Sicilians sold their Athenian prisoners as slaves and

branded them (Ibid.). Christian orthodox and others had themselves tattooed with emblems or

Jesus’ name, a continuation of religious tattooing observed by Egyptians and Hebrews (Ibid, pg.

13).

Tattoos started in American history as part of carnival sideshow’s featuring men and

women covered in tattoo’s, called freak shows (Fenske, Tattoos in American, pg. 1). Tattoos

shifted from displaying freaks to displaying masculinity in military groups and the working class

(Ibid.) Tattooing entered New York City a few years before the 20th century (McCabe, New York

City Tattoo, pg. 16). It was established along the Bowery, in what is widely known to be

Americas first tattoo shop (Ibid.). Martin Hildebrandt is the earliest professional tattoo artist in

America (Govenar, Written on the Body, pg. 214). He claimed to have opened a shop in 1846

and ‘marked thousands of sailors and soldiers’ during the Civil War (Ibid.). He operated an

atelier on Oak Street in New York in the 1870’s (Ibid.). Samuel F. O’Reilly opened a tattoo shop

in Chatham Square in the Bowery of New York in 1875 (Ibid.). The first generation of electric

tattoo artists experimented with the new technology in the “Fun Zone”, which were the Bowery

in Manhattan, Coney Island and Sands Street in Brooklyn (McCabe, New York City Tattoo, pg.

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16). The first generation American tattoo artists all worked out of a shop at 11 Chatham Square

(Ibid, pg. 19). In the 1930’s and 40’s tattoo artists worked out of barber shops (Ibid.). At one

time almost every barber shop had its own tattooer (Ibid.).

The U. S. Navy issued a circular in 1909 stating that ‘indecent or obscene tattooing is

caused for rejection, but the applicant should be given an opportunity to alter the design, in

which event he may, if otherwise qualified, be accepted.’ (Govenar, Written on the Body, pg.

214). Naval surgeon, A. Farenholt, made public the results of his 12 year study of tattooing on

men in the navy in 1914 (Ibid.). He estimated that about 60% of men he observed were

tattooed (Ibid). He also noted that patriotic and sea emblems had become less popular (Ibid.).

During the Civil War tattooing had been an acceptable means of expressing devotion and

loyalty (Ibid.). By the beginning of WWI military authorities were attempting to discourage

tattooing (Ibid.). Major General O’Ryan banned tattooing for soldiers in the National Guard

Empire Division in 1918 (Ibid.). The New York Times said O’Ryan wanted to upgrade the image

of his men (Ibid.).

In the 1930’s tattooing was becoming popular among teenagers, this angered middle-

class parents and prompted the New York Assembly to pass a law in 1933 making it a

misdemeanor to tattoo anyone under the age of 16 (Ibid., pg. 221). By the 1950’s tattooing was

struggling for survival (Ibid, pg. 230). After the war Americans rushed to marry, settle down and

move away from the neighborhoods where tattoo shops were located (Ibid.). Because of this

tattoos were identified with rebelliousness among adolescents and young adults (Ibid.). Tattoos

were considered ‘lower class’ associated with blue collar workers, drunks, hot rods, motorcycle

clubs and street gangs (Ibid.). A study was conducted in 1959 on 648 submariners to confirm or

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disprove the theory that tattooed men were potentially poor material for the military (Ibid, pg.

231). The study showed that those with one tattoo were insignificantly different than those

without and those with two or more tattoos had unresolved sexual and aggressive conflicts

(Ibid.). This study did not conclusively show how tattoos were indicators of social and

psychological problems (Ibid, pg. 232). New York was one of the first states to take extensive

legal action against tattooing (Ibid.). Tattooing was banned in Nassau and Suffolk counties in

1961 because of its alleged link to the 1959 viral hepatitis death (Ibid.). The New York Supreme

Court ruled, in 1963, that the 1961 ban was unconstitutional (Ibid.). No regulations existed to

establish the qualifications of tattoo artists or the standards for the sterility of their shops

(Ibid.). The following year the New York State Appellate Division over turned the 1963 ruling,

calling tattooing a ‘barbaric survival’ (Ibid.). The New York Times reported that Americans

recruited for South Vietnam’s new junk fleet were having the phrase ‘Sat Cong’ (Kill the

Communists) tattooed on their chests in 1962 (Ibid, pg. 233). With the ban, the community of

artists were forced to relocate (McCabe, New York City Tattoo, pg. 23). A few remained working

underground, while others moved to nearby states where the practice was permitted (Ibid.).

Efforts to legitimize tattooing as an art form paid off in the 1970’s and 1980’s (Govenar, Written

on the Body, pg. 233). Tattoos are constantly changing in the ever-changing cultural influences

(McCabe, New York City Tattoo, pg. 16). Since the 70’s and 80’s tattoos have become popular

for women, celebrities, and members of the middle class (Fenske, Tattoos in American, pg. 1).

In the early 21st century tattoos have frequently appeared in advertisements, on television, and

in film (Ibid.).

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Tattoo artists only use two machines to create the tattoo. Thomas Edison filed a patent

in 1876 for an “improvement in autographic printing.” (Von D, High Voltage Tattoo, pg. 60). The

improved machine used a needle to pierce paper, creating a stencil that could be used for

printing (Ibid.). A tattoo artist in New York realized fifteen years later that Edison’s idea could

be used to create a tattoo machine (Ibid.). Samuel F. O’Reilly used Edison’s design to file his

own patent in 1891 for a Tattooing-Machine, adding more needles and an ink reservoir (Ibid.).

Tattooing looked brighter from this moment (Ibid.).

Interestingly the tattoo machine works like an old doorbell, relying on electric

magnetization to work (Ibid, pg. 62). Electricity causes needles to pierce your skin, then gravity

causes the ink to enter your skin (Ibid.). The needles are inside a tube that has a small well at

the tip filled with ink (Ibid.). The needle enters the skin and lets the ink penetrate so the tattoo

artist can start the tattoo (Ibid.).

Tattoos are made of lines and shading so there are two complementary types of tattoo

machines: a linear machine and a shader machine (Ibid.). The linear machine outlines the tattoo

(Ibid.). The mechanism allows the tattoo artist to draw a solid, crisp line (Ibid.). For a softer

effect the tattoo artist uses the shader machine (Ibid.). The shader machines have a longer

stroke and the needle hits harder (Ibid.). The artist can move the machine much faster allowing

them to blend colors, a technique known as a “peppering” effect, or gray washes easily (Ibid,

pg. 63). There are many tattoo machines because many tattoo artists want their own line of

tattoo machines (Ibid.). Most machine makers craft their designs to work more reliably and

never fail (Ibid, pg. 65). Tattoo machines are usually made out of steel, brass, iron, or aluminum

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(Ibid.). Electricity, which is a main part in making the machine work, works better with silver,

steel, gold, and iron, but using precious metals would make the machines very expensive (Ibid.).

The machines are not the only tool, the tattoo also depends on the artist (Ibid, pg. 63).

Some tattoo artists are fast or slow, some are heavy-handed and some have a lighter touch

(Ibid.). A few machine makers that stand out above the rest are Aaron Cain, Dan Dringenberg,

Clay Decker and a few others (Ibid.).

There have always been many types of tattoos in existance. The American folk tattoo

designs during the early 1900’s included: hearts, flowers, daggers, scrolls, women, animals,

serpents, birds, ships, occupational emblems, military insignia, Christian icons, and scenes

(Govenar, Written on the Body, pg. 218). Over the years this has expanded to include elements

of folk and popular culture (Ibid, pg. 219). Some tattoo artists have introduced their own

designs which have become familiar enough to be labeled traditional in their time (Ibid.). One

example of tattoos that were popular during WWI was called the “Rose of No-Man’s Land” a

theme made famous by a popular song along with the tattoo (Ibid.). During the first half of the

21st century cartoon characters became part of the designs and in the years since cartoon

heroes have become popular (Ibid.).

Many people look at tattoos and think the person who has them has been in some kind

of trouble with the law or has some deep seated past they want to bury. Not everyone that has

a tattoo got it by stumbling drunk into a tattoo parlor asking for a tattoo. To most, their tattoos

have a special meaning. It reminds them of someone they loved or something hard they had to

overcome from their past. They are reminders. Madison Capps got a tattoo in honor of her

grandmother who passed away when she was eleven years old. Her grandmother survived

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breast cancer twice, only to

have it spread to her lungs.

Capps said that her

grandmother “had an

obbsession with roses, she

had them all over her house.

It’s where I got my obsession

with roses.” Capps’

grandmother was one of the

only people she looked up

too, “she was such a genuine

and loving person. She

would be going through

chemo and all of the cancer treatments and she still only wanted to know how you are and

what could she do for you.” Capps decided from a young age that she wanted to get a tattoo to

remember her grandmother. The pink fading to white stands for breast cancer and lung cancer,

the rose and hummingbird are two things they both loved. Capps got the tattoo to remember a

beloved grandmother, to honor her grandmother. Something she can look at everyday and

remember her lost loved one.

Some get tattoos to remember hard times they have overcome. Things they did when

they were young and stupid, but learned from those mistakes and got tattoos so they would

always remember. Paige Fuller is not stranger to tattoos, already having four. Everyone of those

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tattoos has some meaning to her, whether to remind her of someone or something, some just

represent who she is

as a person, who she

thinks she is right

now. These

hummingbirds

represesnt her great-

grandparents, Chloe

and Joel Berkley’s

love for one another.

They were married

when they were

fourteen years old

and stay married until the day they died. Fuller’s great-grandfather died a few years before her

great-grandmother, who died of cancer. Fuller’s great-grandmother loved birds, hummingbirds

especially. At that point in Fuller’s life she was painting a lot and this tattoo was actually a

painting she did for her great-grandmother, just transferred to tattoo form. Her great-

grandmother died before the painting was finished. The tattoo not only represents her great-

grandparents love for one another, but also her great-grandparent themselves.

The peppermint tattoo on her arm just below the

hummingbirds is a reminder of a confusing time she went

through were music was her outlet. The peppermint candy

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also happened to be the symbol of the White Stripes, a band that Fuller loves. It represents a

time in her life where she was starting to figure out who she was, her personality. She was in

high school when her step dad taught her to play the guitar, when she was coming into herself.

“The peppermint is just white and red, just two colors. I like the meaning behind it. It’s just two

colors, it’s supposed to be playful, it’s representational of the path that I went, music changed

my life” Fuller explained. It is amazing how something so small could mean so much to one

person. It is an odd thing to have tattooed on your body, but when you hear the story behind it,

everything makes sense. Looking at the peppermint, it looks like she was dared to get it or was

drunk when she got it, but there was and is a meaning behind it. It reminds her of a part of her

life that she went through and wanted to remember.

On her chest

Fuller has two

Sparrows because

”they are known to

migrate everywhere and they don’t have a

place to go, they just kind of migrate to

different places.” Fuller said, “It’s like

finding a place to land. That is very much

me. . . I’m not a settler.” She doesn’t like

to stay in one place too long, she wants to

see the world. These sparrows represent

who she is as a person.

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On her back she has Audrey Hepburn, the actress, as the character she played in

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Holly Golightly. Fullers all time favorite movie. She got it because “the

character is this confused person who moves to different places so she can be uncomfortable,

because she doesn’t know who she is.” The quote they use in the movie to describe Hepburn’s

character describes Fuller, “the most real faker ever.” Fuller also admires Hepburn as a person,

she helped a lot with the community and went to Africa to help people. Fuller not only admires

the actress, but realates to the character Hepburn played.

The woman with the patched heart on her arm, got it to remember to not let her heart

become cracked, but not to let it break

in half and when it does crack or break

remember to rely on family to heal it

(Fulbeck). Family is the only real love

Fulbeck 2

Fulbeck 1

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you can count on (Fulbeck). The woman with the cherry blossoms on her back got them to

celebrate her Japanese heritage (Fulbeck). She added on her family crest four years

later(Fulbeck). She is very proud of her Japanese heritage and will wear the tattoos

proudly(Fulbeck).

The man with the number tattooed onto his forearm got the tattoo to

honor his father who was in the concentration camp in America (Fulbeck). This

was his fathers number (Fulbeck). He got it not only to honor his father but all

the other’s who were part of the concentration camps (Fulbeck). The Japanese

American community he lives in doesn’t like it, but he wears it

proudly (Fulbeck). This woman with the tattoo on her shoulder, got it in honor

of her brother who was shot and killled (Fulbeck). He was not alone when he

was shot, but the people who were with him left him on the ground bleeding

(Fulbeck). He was alive for thirty minutes before he died, and they just left

him (Fulbeck). Her brother’s name is in the center

of the tatttoo so people will see it clearly. She lost

her brother and wears the tattoo as a reminder

and a memory of her brother.

This man got the tattoo just before he was

deployed to Iraq (Fulbeck). He is a paratrooper

and proud to serve his country (Fulbeck). He got the tattoo as his way of showing patriotism

Fulbeck 5

Fulbeck 4

Fulbeck 3

Fulbeck 6

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(Fulbeck). He is proud to be an American. This girl with the tattoo on her foot got it to remind

her of her religion (Fulbeck). The tattoo stands for the eternal trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)

(Fulbeck). She went through a lot of changes with her Christian identity when she started

college (Fulbeck). The one thing she knew for sure was that there is a God and He is with her no

matter what (Fulbeck). This was her way of defining herself and her faith for the world to see.

Most tattoos are more than just ink on someones body taking up space. To most they

represent a time that person has gone through, a loved one who has died, or a part of their

religious and cultural heritage. People may always be prejudice when it comes to tattoos, they

see only what they want. If they bothered to look deeper they might see someone in pain still

mourning a loss, the freedom of someone getting past a difficult time, someone celebrating

their heritage, or celebrating their patriotism. Tattoos are an art and should be appriciated as

one, not looked down on. They show creativity and artistic expression.

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Capps, Madison. Audio. December 1, 2014.

Fenske, Mindy. Tattoos in American Visual Culture. New York, NY: Palgrave MacMilliam, 2007.

Fulbeck, Kip. Permanence. China: Chronicle Books LLC, 2008.

Fuller, Paige. Audio. December 2, 2014.

Govenar, Alan. Written on the Body: The Tattoo in European and American History, Edited by Jane Caplan. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2000.

Jones, C.P. Written on the Body: The Tattoo in European and American History, Edited by Jane

Caplan. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2000. McCabe, Michael. New York City Tattoo: The Oral History of an Urban Art. Honolulu, HI: Hardy

Publication, 1997. Von D, Kat. High Voltage Tattoo. New York, NY: Collins Design, 2009.

Commemorative Tattoos

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