Zelda Mavin Jackson (1911-1985) known as Jackie Ormes, was the first African American woman to create four distinct, widely-distributed comic strips. Her comics were published between 1937 and 1956 in some of the nation's most prominent Black newspapers.
Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Ormes demonstrated an early interest in drawing. She published her first cartoons in her high school yearbooks and worked for the Pittsburgh Courier as a proofreader and author. While she enjoyed "a great career running around town, looking into everything the law would allow, and writing about it," she eventually pursued a career as a cartoonist. After moving to Chicago with her husband in 1942, Ormes became a prominent member of the Black community and a progressive political activist. Her most notable works were Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem and Patty Jo ‘n Ginger. In 2014, her combination of artistry and activism earned her a spot in the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Industry Hall of Fame four years later.
