Jackie Ormes

Jackie Ormes (born Zelda Mavin Jackson) is known as the first African American woman cartoonist. She wrote and drew non-SF political cartoons, published in the historic black newspapers, and franchised her characters to dolls and paper doll cut-outs.

Ormes' first comic, "Dixie to Harlem" featuring Torchy Brown, ran from 1937-38, and she later wrote a column and cartoon for the Chicago Defender. From 1945-1956 she wrote the Patty-Jo 'n' Ginger cartoon for the Pittsburgh Courier, which generated the Patty-Jo doll from 1947-49. In 1950 Ormes reinvented her Torchy character, which came with paper dolls.