dc.contributor.advisor	Bath, Jon
dc.contributor.committeeMember	Blakely, Jill
dc.contributor.committeeMember	Dyck, Erika
dc.contributor.committeeMember	Lalonde, Amanda
dc.contributor.committeeMember	Watson, Andrew
dc.creator	Hanofski, Devon Kerney
dc.creator.orcid	0000-0002-2970-9801
dc.date.accessioned	2021-01-09T23:29:29Z
dc.date.available	2021-01-09T23:29:29Z
dc.date.created	2020-12
dc.date.issued	2021-01-09
dc.date.submitted	December 2020
dc.date.updated	2021-01-09T23:29:30Z
dc.description.abstract	As the hobo and tramp emerged in late nineteenth century North America, the two subcultural groups had developed their own distinct cultural traditions that included marking graffiti as a communication tool. Hobo and tramp literature suggests one of the forms of graffiti, the stylized signatory pseudonyms known as “monikers,” were marked upon railroad structures as a way of staying in touch with others travelling by rail across the continent. This thesis explores further the subcultural practice of moniker writing, suggesting another motivation for the tramp’s moniker; to achieve publicity. Using examples documented by the author in North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, and Texas, monikers are analyzed alongside historical newspaper articles in five case studies on tramps “Sailor Kid,” “Mover,” “A-No.1,” “Penn, the Rambler,” and “Tex K.T..” The findings propose that for some tramps, moniker writing was a means to make themselves known beyond the subculture, marked more for notoriety than correspondence. Additionally, some tramps developed relationships with the press to advance their fame and tell the story of how they are the “King of Tramps,” a title attributed to those who hold records in speed, distance, most places travelled, or at times self-bestowed. That is, both the moniker and the press were instruments of publicity-seeking that allowed a subset of tramps to be seen from the railroad to mountaintops. This study offers several theoretical contributions, particularly to the history of North American graffiti from an art historical and material culture perspective. As well, the research lends to the history of tramp culture generally, highlighting the career tramp as an overlooked member of the roving class.
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10388/13190
dc.subject	tramp
dc.subject	hobo
dc.subject	graffiti
dc.subject	moniker
dc.subject	railroad
dc.subject	history
dc.subject	material culture
dc.subject	art history
dc.title	“The King of Tramps:” Moniker Writing and the Publicity-Seeking Tramp
dc.type	Thesis
dc.type.material	text
thesis.degree.department	Interdisciplinary Studies
thesis.degree.discipline	Interdisciplinary Studies
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Saskatchewan
thesis.degree.level	Masters
thesis.degree.name	Master of Arts (M.A.)

“The King of Tramps:” Moniker Writing and the Publicity-Seeking Tramp

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