"Jackie Ormes"(August 1,1911-December 26,1985)

Is known as the first African American woman cartoonist.She was born Zelda Mavin Jackson in Monongahela,Pennsylvania.Jackie started in journalism as a proofreader for the Pittsburgh

Courier,a weekly African American newspaper that came out every Saturday.Her 1937-38 Courier comic strip,Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem,staring Torchy Brown,was a humorous depiction of a Mississippi teen who found fame and fortune and dancing in the Cotton Club.Jackie moved to Chicago in 1942,and soon began writing occasional articles,and,briefly, a social column for the Chicago Defender,one of the nation's leading black newspapers,a weekly at that time.For a few months at the end of the war,her single panel cartoon,Candy,about an attractive wisecracking housemaid appeared in in the defender.By August 1945,Jackie was back in the Courier,with the advent of Patty-Jo 'n'Ginger,a single panel cartoon which ran for 11 years.It featured  a big little sister set-up,with the precious,insightful and social /political-aware child as the only speaker and the beautiful adult woman as a some time pin-up figure and fashion mannequin.She contracted with Terri Lee doll company in 1947 to produce a doll based on her little girl cartoon character.The Patty-Jo doll was on the shelves in time for Christmas and was the first African American doll to have an extensive upscale wardrobe.As in the cartoon,the doll represented a real child,in contrast to the majority of dolls that were mammy and Topsy-type dolls.In December 1949,Jackie's contract with the Terri Lee company was not renewed,and production ended.Patty-Jo dolls are now highly sought collectors' item.In 1950,the Courier began an eight- page color comics insert,where Jackie re-invented her Torchy character in a new comic strip,Torchy Heartbeats.This Torchy was a beautiful,independent woman who finds adventure while seeking true love.She expressed her talent for fashion design as well as her vision of a beautiful black female body in the accompany Torchy togs paper doll cut outs.The strip is probably best known for its last episode in 1954,when Torchy and her doctor boyfriend confront racism and environmental pollution.Torchy presented an image of a black woman who,in contrast to the contemporary stereotypical media portrayals,was confident,intelligent,and brave.She enjoyed a happy,45-year marriage to Earl Clark Ormes.She retired from cartooning in 1956,she continued to create art,including murals,still life's and portraits.Jackie contributed to her South Side Chicago community by volunteering to produce fundraiser fashion shows and entertainments.She was also on the founding board for the Dusable Museum of African American History.