Book Review: Jackie Ormes

Book: Jackie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist by Nancy Goldstein

Source: Library

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

I found this fascinating because not only was Jackie Ormes a cartoonist she was also a journalist as well as an entrepreneur (she created a doll of one of her popular comic characters). During the early 1900s there were not a lot career opportunities for many black women. However, Jackie's love and talent for art would take her far.

With her comics and her writing, she was able to talk about social issues as well as provide a little humor (with her comics) to readers. In all of her comics she created characters that were sophisticated and dignified and refused to show stereotypical images that unfortunately were the current norm during those times.

Through her comics, Jackie Ormes was able to show more positive and uplifting images. Despite being a woman in a man's newspaper world, Jackie excelled. But due to segregation, Jackie's work was only published in black newspapers but within those publications her work was seen by thousands of subscribers (if not more) especially through syndication.

The author of this book included many of Jackie Ormes' comics so readers could see what made her Patty-Jo 'n' Ginger and Torchy in Heartbeats comics so popular. She had a way of creating these fashionable characters (Jackie had a huge interest in fashion) who could represent the glamour girls as well as the girl next door who brought up various topics from humor to segregation. In a few of the Torchy in Heartbeats comics, Torchy who was a nurse in a rural town (along with her boyfriend who was a Doctor) was trying to fight environment problems that was affecting the population especially the children.

After reading this, I find so many of Jackie Ormes' comics are still very relevant today.

This was very interesting to read. I think the late Mrs. Ormes is one of those little known artists/writers whom I hope will become more well known again especially with this book.