#FallenThroughTheCracks - Jackie Ormes was born Zelda Mavin Jackson on August 1, 1911, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She started her journey in journalism as a proofreader for the Pittsburgh Courier and, on May 1, 1937, introduced her first comic strip, "Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem," within its pages. This comic humorously chronicled the story of Torchy Brown, a Mississippi teenager whose path led her from the South to the glittering stages of New York's Cotton Club. Through Torchy's adventures, Ormes made history as the first African-American woman to produce a nationally syndicated comic strip. This trailblazing strip continued until April 30, 1938.

Later, Ormes relocated to Chicago in 1942 and had a brief stint writing a social column for The Chicago Defender, a prominent black newspaper at the time. Returning to the Pittsburgh Courier in August 1945, Ormes introduced "Patty-Jo 'n' Ginger," a single-panel cartoon that captivated readers for 11 years. This series featured a unique dynamic between a precocious and socially aware child as the sole speaker and an adult woman who served as a fashion icon and pin-up figure. The comic ran from September 1, 1945, to September 22, 1956.

Beyond her comics, Ormes collaborated with the Terri Lee doll company in 1947 to create the Patty-Jo doll, which graced store shelves in time for Christmas. It stood out as the first American black doll with an extensive upscale wardrobe, appealing to children of all backgrounds. Ormes's creations defied stereotypes and offered strong role models for young black women, addressing a wide range of social and political issues, from race to sex to environmental concerns.

In 1956, she retired from cartooning but continued to serve her South Side Chicago community by volunteering for fundraising fashion shows and entertainment events. Additionally, she contributed her expertise to the founding board of directors for the DuSable Museum of African-American History. An avid doll collector, she amassed 150 antique and modern dolls and actively participated in the Guys and Gals Funtastique Doll Club, a United Federation of Doll Clubs chapter in Chicago.

Jackie Ormes died on December 26, 1985, in Chicago, IL. Her impact was commemorated with a Google Doodle on September 1, 2020.

(Text paraphrased from Wikipedia. All Images are the property of the copyright owners. This clip is for educational purposes.)

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