The lasting legacy of two Black cartoonists from Pittsburgh

JACKIE ORMES

Pittsburgh has always been a hub for Black creativity, artwork, and empowerment. In the early 1900s, the Pittsburgh Courier powered much of this energy thanks to its growing national popularity. As a Black publication, the Courier chose to employ reporters and illustrators who would stand up for their community and support social progress. When nearly all papers had a robust comic section, the Courier saw an opportunity to let Black artists shine. Jackie Ormes and Sam Milai were two of the most influential cartoonists of the 1940s-1960s. Their contributions to Pittsburgh, and Black readers across the country, are still lauded today.

Jackie Ormes (1911-1985)

Jackie Ormes was born in Pittsburgh in 1911. Even as a young girl, she knew that drawing was her passion. Her start in Pittsburgh shows how dedicated she was to her craft. In high school, Ormes drew comics for the yearbook. She also began working at the Pittsburgh Courier as a reporter while still in school. As a young Black woman, her skills in art and journalism stood out. She wasn’t afraid to travel all over the area reporting on boxing matches, police activity, and social issues. If it was important to Pittsburgh, it was essential to her.

Notable Work

While reporting and editing were fine, Ormes wanted to be an artist. In 1937, her first comic strip appeared in the Courier. The strip, called Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem, featured a young Black woman migrating north in search of success in the Cotton Club. For perhaps the first time, a Black woman was portrayed as elegant and successful rather than a caricature.

 

 

Several longer-running comic strips followed. Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger ran for 11 years and continued the positive portrayal of the African-American community and culture. Her subject matter often dealt with social issues that were controversial in post-World War II America. Torchy in Heartbeats also ran successfully for four years. The titular character showed an intelligent and brave Black woman who looked elegant while speaking up for her community.

Legacy

The reach of the Courier during Ormes’ time propelled her work into homes nationwide. Although she did not achieve national syndication by some standards, many artists and historians consider Jackie Ormes the first Black woman to have a syndicated cartoon. She was posthumously inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame in 2018. Her inclusion marked a crucial addition since “her career stretches back to a time when she was redefining representation of black characters on the comics page.” The contemporary community and future generations felt Ormes’s impact. A fellow cartoonist observed that “her community benefited by having an incredible artist tell their stories.”

Sam Milai (1908-1970) Ahmed Samuel Milai was born in 1908 in Washington, DC, into a “mulatto” family. After living in Virginia and South Carolina, he moved to Pittsburgh and spent his entire adult life in the city. He devoted his talents to the community through work on the Pittsburgh Courier. Milai’s talents landed him a spot as the Courier’s editorial cartoonist for 33 years. His commitment to the publication and his community allowed him to add his voice during times of social and political upheaval for African Americans.

Notable Work

Milai was the primary illustrator for a long-running series called Facts About the Negro starting in 1940. These vignettes helped highlight the Black achievement and honors during a time when their history was buried. Simultaneously, Milai produced political cartoons for the Courier. These cartoons often directly questioned controversial subjects such as civil rights, the Black vote, and the Vietnam War.

In addition to his political contributions, Milai made several comic strips with lighter subject matter. Don Powers introduced the world to the adventures of a champion athlete and ran for eight years.

SAM MILAI

Legacy

Taking a stand on social issues with pen and paper gave a voice to his community. Curators at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum note: “reading these cartoons from the perspective of almost four decades later, we sense both the hopes and the frustrations that the African American community experienced during the 1960s.” Beyond his comic strips, Milai also left a lasting legacy in Pittsburgh through his work at Pittsburgh’s Ivey School of Professional Art and the Pittsburgh Art Institute.

When many Black Americans felt silenced and oppressed, Jackie Ormes and Sam Milai gave a voice to their stories through the relatable medium of cartoons. Their legacy continues to shape the future of activism and artistry today.

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