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.

The Ormes Society for promoting black women as creators, consumers, and characters in the comics industry was named for Jackie Ormes.

• Wikipedia entry
• Jackie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist by Nancy Goldstein, forthcoming Univ. of Michigan Press (Feb. 2008)