Pioneer Cartoon Gallery 2

During the segregated years of the 1900s through 1960s America, the Black Press offered comic strips that featured African American heroes & heroines in a wide variety of life situations. These characters were not confined to gritty 'inner-city' stories, poor 'ghetto' life or as one dimensional comic relief as today .

This gallery continues the collection of comic art from the early years of the Black Press or as it was often called, the 'Race' Press, the 'Negro' Press or numerous other terms it was & still is given to make it clear that it was something other than what was considered the 'regular' press. This presentation is to prove the legitimacy of the "Black" Press as a medium of communications. After all many of them had comic strips & everything !

Thanks to the Vivian Harsh Collection of Afro-American History located in the Carter G. Woodson Regional Branch of the Chicago Library for making the following images possible.

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(I regret that due to efforts to keep file sizes small, many of the cartoons may be difficult to read.)

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Patty-Jo `n' Ginger by Zelda "Jackie" Ormes is a single panel 'mischivious child' gag comic that showed the lifestyles of educated middle-class African Americans during a time when popular 'mainstream' comic strips hostilely dipicted Black people in negative, insluting images.

Particularly, the images of Black women & children consisted of crudly drawn unattractive 'earth-mother' mammies, maids or worse. Childern were regulated to the singular role of grinning pickaninnies or reflections of the popularTopsie character. (braided hair sticking straight out sometimes with bows attached.) Ginger & Patty-Jo made no outward effort to fight against these images, but instead ignored it & gave America a realistic look at urban Black life.

The cartoon, first appearing in 1946 & ran exclusively in the Pittsburgh Courier, even though its creator was employed in a non-artistic colomnist position with the Chicago Defender. Patty-Jo `n Ginger centers around the precocious comments of Patty-Jo (left) as she interacts with society & her older sister Ginger (right).

It was never made specifically clear as to what Ginger's age is, I mistakenly assumed that it was one of those adult sister as guardian situations. Later comics make reference to things said or done by Daddy & Mommy, whom never appear. Actually, Ginger herself never has any spoken dialogue. the world is viewed exclusively through the wise-beyond-her-years-commentary of Patty-Jo.

"Imagine them makin' all that fuss over a bitty boy-child in the family and me made of sugar 'n' spice 'n' everything smart housewives are cravin' these days!"

Information gathered for the Jackie Ormes page states that Patty-Jo became a toy doll in time for Christmas of 1948, however I noticed a reference in quite a number of the comics to these dolls directly, & even more with a doll resembling Patty-Jo somewhere in the picture throughout late 1947. Perhaps she was getting the nation ready for the Patty-Jo doll or maybe she was simply making certain that fans knew they were available.

Until otherwise proven, Patty-Jo `n Ginger ran from Novemberish1946 through 1955. It is one of three cartoons drawn by Jackie Ormes. (See Torchy Brown)

Sunny Boy Sam

By Wilbert Holloway

 (Speaking in some primitive Ebonics accent never used by actual Black Americans)

"Well! well! well! Heah I is folks, right back on Wylie avenoo. Dog gone if dis place sho' don't look natchul. Sho' do."

"Dog gone, jis look at dat suds busta tote dat basket on huh haid. Strut Miss Lizzie, strut!"

Man 1: "Hot zigity dog, if taint ol' Sunny Boy--- Boy dis town sho' had th' biggis' 'lection fight in th' world heah since you been gone"." Sunny Boy: " 'Low Shawty-- nemmine th' 'lection. What's de numbah t'day?"

Translation into standard English for the 'artificial' Ebonically-challenged.

"Well, here I am, right back on Wylie avenue. Now doesn't the place look natural. Sure does"

"Wow, just look at that washer-woman carrying that basket on her head."

Shorty: "Well if it isn't ol' Sunny Boy--- Man, this town sure had the world's biggest election fight while you were away. " "Hello Shorty ! Never mind about the election, what's the number today?"

In the earliest version found so far of Sunny Boy Sam, illustrated by the "old" Pittsburgh Courier Editorial cartoonist, Wilbert Holloway in 1929. The comic unfortunately reflected a prevailing derogatory image of African Americans during the first half of the 20th century. The images were derived from "black face" Minstrel shows performed by White men in make up preforming gross parodies of Black life. The reverberations of these buffoonish images of Black people still sound loudly in Hollywood movies & TV performances today. The language, called 'negro' or 'colored' dialect being spoken in the strip is some primitive form of the equally contrived 'Ebonics'. As in so many other things, Black artists, like Black performers, found it necessary to imitate these insulting images of themselves simply to 'get paid'. Over the years, Sunny Boy evolved, slowly. By 1931, Holloway dropped the dialect language, however the exaggerated lips & bucking eyes remained. In the 1940's version below, (artist unknown) Sunny Boy & Shorty have escaped much of their derogatory appearance & language.

man 1: "Shorty! you thinking about Clarabelle again?" Man 2: "Uh-huh!"

man 2: "Y'know, I could marry Clarabelle, and it's not just because of her looks. She's a smart chick. She's got brains enough for two!"

man 1: "Then She's just the girl for you!"

man 2: "Now how did he mean that ???"

Sunny Boy Sam, 1955. The artist uncredited, but have reason to believe it was still Wilbert Holloway. The comic appears to be a daily life sort of gag strip that ends with a gag line & could be run in any order & nobody'd really notice (except those who followed the strip to get a 'numbers' tip. details on that occurrence later)

Woody Woodenhead

by--- Name left off.

"Is your dog trained, Woody?" Woody: "He sure is!"

Woody: "When I say 'will you sit down?' he answers me!" Man: "How?"

Woody: "Either he sits down... or he doesn't!"

"Now what'd I say ?"

This gag strip from 1955 , Woody Woodenhead can best be described as the misadventures of an American, Southern Black Pinocchio with all the denseness of wits associated with his Italian counterpart. Often his rather innocent replies to people's questions are apparently mistaken as smartaleck, or "cheeky" resulting in his being rebuffed, with the required little stars circling his head & the flustered little Woody asking in the last panel; "Now what'd I say?"

Appeared in the Pittsburgh Courier, Saturday 12 May 1928

So What ?

by Jay Jackson

So What? is a single panel gag strip cartoon appearing in the Chicago Defender. This version was drawn by Jay Jackson (no relation) assumably before 1950 since this is the year he is reported to have died. The cartoon was later continued by Chester Commodore (see below.)

"He walks like that all the time... he's constantly proposing to someone!"

So What ?

by Chester Commodore

So What? is a single panel gag strip cartoon in the Chicago Defender. This version was drawn by Chester Commodore from 1950 until the mid 60s. This one is dated 1959.The man sure could draw some great gams !

Ask great gram'pa what gams are or get out your dictionary.

"I'm not overweight... It's just that according to the chart... I should be four inches taller."

Ravings of Prof. Doodle is a single panel social message strip from the 1950s Chicago Defender, developed & drawn by Chester Commodore from 1950 until the mid 60s. This one is dated 1959. The good professor's comments were apparently meant to point out some of the bad social habits in the Black community of the day & ways to correct them.

Considering all the abandoned grocery carts in the allies where I live, this thoughtlessness is not confined to just a solidly Black community !

Do's & Don'ts is another in several single panel etiquette teaching cartoons that appeared in the Black Press. This series is signed Stann Pat ,who I have later discovered is the New York Amsterdam's long-time editorial cartoonists &art director, Melvin Tapley using one of his 3 known pen names. (see Tap Melvin)

Do's & Don'ts presented various daily life situations illustrating bad manners & rude behavior & offering examples of proper decorum.

Appeared in the Sunday Chicago Bee from 1943 to 1947

The others at the table are your friends. They'll pass the food to you. Do ask them.

The Sparks is an original gag strip from the 1950s Chicago Defender, developed & drawn by Chester Commodore. This one is dated 1959. It appears to be a domestic family life strip centering around the titled family. Being a gag strip, it could have run in any order.

Tan Topics, is a single panel gag comic drawn by Charles Allen from 1943.

The subject matter seemed to reflect topics of the day, such as the meat shortages of World War 2 America. The artistic style improved as the comic endured. The artist became more daring, adding detailed background scenes, although his ability to draw women in general continued to leave much to be desired.

"It's no use Mrs. Jones--- I haven't any meat."

Next Door , the earliest found being 1942 represents pre-Quincy cartooning work by nationally syndicated cartoonist, Ted Shearer. Next Door is a single panel gag comic that reflects the humorous side of daily life.

Before being accepted into the 'mainstream' King Features Syndicate nearly 20 years later, Ted Shearer's work was made available to the Black Press through the equally prolific Black-owned Continental Features Syndicate.

"One tenth of a pound of sugar!!! Tell your mama to send her cup of coffee over and I'll sweeten it."

My first impression upon discovering this cartoon was that this Sgt. Joe looked suspiciously like 1940s World Heavyweight Boxing champion, Joe Louis. The fact that in nearly every six panel Sunday comic, Sgt. Joe is punching the snot out of some extremely stereotypical (not to mention racially derogatory) Japanese soldier. Further research uncovered that Joe Louis was indeed a Sergeant in the US armed forces during WW2.

Cartoon's storyline: Okay, it's World War 2. Sgt. Joe & his faithful little pal (side-kick & comedy relief) "Pinky" (assumably due to his skin tone.) have been ambushed & captured by a Japanese raiding party. They have been taken to 'secret headquarters' somewhere in the south pacific jungles, filled with inappropriate wildlife for that area, where they are locked up after being uncooperative with the commandant (the usual good American smartaleck comments to the 'enemy'). After Joe punches out half the platoon of gun-toting Japanese (who for some reason never think to shoot at them. Pinky actually steals a gun from one of them.) escape into the jungle where they are pursued to the edge of a cliff. With no other choice, they dive into the river below. The commandant orders his men not to shoot, because he wants to watch to see who will win between the escaping Americans & the crocodile in the river. To protect his 'little buddy' Pinky, Sgt. Joe takes the bayonet off the gun they have & fights the croc. When blood fills the river, the Japanese go away. But of course, Sgt. Joe wins, & finds his pal down river praying, promising the "Lawd" to always repay his debts if Joe's life is spared. Hearing this, Joe demands that Pinky pays back the 3 bucks he borrowed. The comic strip apparently ends here after 5 strips. At least in the paper I found it in.

I suppose the art of making a sure-fire comic strip out of popular movies, TV programs & celebrities is not a new concept (such as Superman, Dr. Katz Star Wars, Spider-Man, etc.) Although the cartoon was short lived in the the 1943 Chicago Bee, I can imagine with the immense popularity of Joe Louis at the time, it had a ready-made audience.

Sergeant Joe's cultural sensitivity rating--- most derogatory to Asians, specifically Japanese. As stated before, since so many try to use this argument, Just because 'everybody' was doing it at the time, (WW2 hero propaganda) it still doesn't make it O.K.

What's being said in the cartoon:

Captain: "Welcome!! to my humble house. It's Good to see you Americans." Joe: "You ain't seen nothing yet Mister!"	Captain: "I am Captain Tojito, you will find me most cooperative providing you are the same... And most cruel on the other hand. Do you follow me gentlemen ?" Pinky: "Gulp!"	Joe: "In other words "Pinky" & I can have it pretty soft here if we give you the position of our men & their intentions?"  Captain: "Correct!"
Joe: "I don't know their position... but their intention is to kick yellow rats like you off the face of the earth!!!"  Captain: "Guards! Lock them up!"	Hours Later Captain: "Now that you gents have thought things over, how do you feel?"	Joe: "Ooh! Just dandy!"  a fist coming through the bars knocking a tooth out of the captain's mouth. CONTINUED

As the nation's sentiment changes toward the images of African Americans due to the civil rights movements of the 1950s, his & her roles in the 'mainstream' press remained that of the monolithic 'noble' savage, the forever faithful servant or the comical, cowering sidekick to the tall, brave White main characters. The New York Age printed the beautifully detailed Tommy Traveler in the World of Negro History during 1958 to 1959 (wow, this cartoon's as old as me!).

This is only the top portion panel from one of the few Sunday "Black" cartoons of the 50s that appeared in color. Torchy in Heartbeats by Jackie Ormes is an adventure comic given continouity through the various romances of Torchy Brown. In the post WW2 era, Black cartoonists utilized their medium to fight the insulting sterotyped images of African Americans still widely protrayed in the 'mainstream' press. This emerging art of highlighing social concerns of the Black community, & negative image-busting brought us Torchy Brown, an attractive, intellegent, self-determining & sensualy drawn Black woman. (Compaired to the 'mainstream's' steady staple of rotund mammies & grinning maids, usually inked in solid black with the exception of huge white lips and round buldging eyes.) Torchy found time in her busy & ever varying career to take on racism, sexism, enviornmental pollution & even warmongers. Torchy was even drawn with power, in contrast to the more delicately drawn heroines often expected of other women cartoonists such as Dale Messick's Brenda Starr or Nell Brinkley's Brinkly Girls. Jackie Ormes is quoted as saying. "I never liked dreamy little women who can't hold their own." Torchy's adventures & romances led her from the oppressive Jim Crow South to South America, & her strenth & compassion made her a role model for many young African Americans. This version of Torchy Brown ran from 1950 to 1955. An earlier version appeared in 1937.

Set in an unspecified location in Kokonino (Coconino) Kounty, AZ & centers on the title character Krazy Kat who remains of an ambiguous gender. Neither male nor female, but more often both. Krazy is in love with Ignatz Mouse, who never returned his/her affection, rather regularly heaved a brick off Krazy's skull. (Krazy on the other hand viewed this as a sign of Ignatz's love. This I've learned is the result of Krazy's belief she/he is the reincarnation or descendant of Kleopatra Kat who was loved by a Roman rodent, Marcantonni Maus, who hired an Egyptian scribe to compose his message of everlasting love, chisled in stone of course & upon his delivery of it, hits her in the head.)

On the other point in this love triangle, is Offisa (Officer) Pup the eloquent, poetic local constable who shows his love for Krazy by trying to protect her/him from the brick assaults of Ignatz, by locking Ignatz in jail whenever he can actually catch him in the act. Still, Ignatz manages to pop Krazy 'upside the head' with a seemingly endless supply of bricks from his towering cell window.

My personal introduction to Krazy Kat was through the series of animated cartoons by King Features that aired during my childhood in the mid 1970s. Krazy's gender was less obscured--- often the he-Krazy was drawn differently from the she-Krazy who also wore a bow.

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Copyright Notice !

Pioneering Cartoonists of Color is a publication of Creative License Studio Inc. Copyright © 1998 by Tim Jackson. All rights reserved worldwide. Original cartoons used in cartoonist's biographies are copyright © of the featured artists.