By Catherine Martin
Today, Google Doodle honors Jackie Ormes — the first, and only, Black female newspaper cartoonist during the 1940s. An interactive comic strip slideshow of Ormes replaces the traditional Google logo, with each slide representing stages of her life.
Google chose her due to her incredible activism work, shown through her cartoons, and the profound and positive impact she had for Black women everywhere.
While flipping through the slideshow, you learn Jackie Ormes was born August 1, 1911 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — where she taught herself to draw at an early age. Ormes progresses into a talented cartoonist that eventually challenges derogatory portrayals of Black female characters through her satirical cartoons.
Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger
On September 1, 1945 Ormes released her single-panel cartoon, “Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger,” that introduced the groundbreaking Ginger and her 6-year-old sister Patty-Jo. In addition, this single-panel cartoon ran in the Pittsburgh Courier, an African-American newspaper.
Ginger is a fashion-forward pin-up girl and Patty-Jo is a precocious child. The goal of this imagery is to challenge the racist stereotypes that Black women and girls are uneducated and subservient. Following its success, Ormes produced the first positive African-American doll made in the U.S., the “Patty-Jo” doll; therefore, furthering positive depictions of Black women and girls.
Jackie Ormes’ Notable Work and Successes
Previously, Ormes’ published her first comic strip through the Pittsburgh Courier, “Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem” in 1937. This cartoon reflected the struggles of escaping racism by migrating from the South to the North.
Following her work throughout the years, Ormes continued to challenge relevant issues. Such as, “romantic heartbreak, environmental justice, and gender inequality,” Google says. Regardless of the challenges these characters face, they all preserved as confident, intelligent and independent women.
Ormes retired in 1956, but that did not stop her dedication for activism and stripping away negative labels that too often accompanied Black women and girls. Due to her achievements, the National Association of Black Journalists’ Hall of Fame inducted her in 2014, followed by the Will Eisner Comic Industry Hall of Fame in 2018.
For information regarding Ormes’ life and achievements, visit the Jackie Ormes website HERE.
