PITTSBURGH — Have you ever heard of the Torchy Brown comics or the Patty-Jo dolls? They’re both linked to a Pittsburgh woman known as the first African American woman cartoonist, and she was honored with her own Google Doodle.
Known as Jackie Ormes, she was born Zelda Mavin Jackson in Pittsburgh in 1911. Ormes wrote a letter to the Pittsburgh Courier while she was in high school, and it led to her first story: covering a boxing match. She eventually worked as an editor and a writer for the paper, but her heart was in drawing.
Her first comic strip appeared on May 1, 1937, in the Pittsburgh Courier. The paper, however, was published across 14 cities, so her work quickly became known across the country. Featuring the character Torchy Brown, it was a humorous look of a southern teen who found fame in New York City. The strip ran for about a year.
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Years later, Ormes created another comic called Patty-Jo ’n’ Ginger. It ran for 11 years and featured two sisters. She eventually teamed up with a company to create a play doll based on the character. The Patty-Jo doll was the first American Black doll to have an upscale wardrobe and is a highly sought-after collectible.
The Google Doodle for Tuesday honored Ormes’ work. The company often makes changes to its logo to honor holidays, anniversaries, special dates and to honor famous artists, pioneers and scientists.
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