Podcast
Incomplet Design History
Hosted by Amanda Horton · EN
The nature of history is that it is never “complete”, new information is gained every day that changes our understanding an interpretations of history. The mission of Incomplete Design History is to explore areas of graphic design history that are overlooked or ignored; to expand our knowledge in the field and to include all sides of the story. Incomplete design history seeks to be inclusive, inclusive not only of people but of ideas and technologies that advance the field of graphic design. History is messy. History is incomplete.
11episodes
Episodes
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The Mimeo Revolution
Nov 1300:29:04Tap to summarizeThis episode examines the often-overlooked role of the mimeograph in the intertwined histories of print technology, graphic design, and social change. Emerging in the late nineteenth century through the innovations of Thomas Edison and Albert Blake Dick, the mimeograph offered an accessible, low-cost means of reproducing text and images—long before the advent of xerography or digital printing. Its simplicity and affordability placed the power of print into the hands of schools, churches, offices, and, crucially, grassroots organizations and independent creators. By the mid-twentieth century, mimeograph machines had become vital tools in the production of newsletters, pamphlets, and zines that fueled social movements and cultural revolutions. From the Civil Rights Movement’s underground newspapers to the literary explosion known as the Mimeo Revolution, the mimeograph democratized publishing and redefined the relationship between authorship, design, and distribution. Magazines such as The Floating Bear, Fuck You / A Magazine of the Arts, and The Yardbird Reader illustrate how writers and artists used the technology to challenge mainstream publishing, amplify marginalized voices, and experiment with form and content. Though ultimately replaced by photocopying and digital media, the mimeograph remains a critical link in the evolution of design and the politics of independent print culture.TIMELINE1876 - Thomas Edison patents the electric pen and duplicating press1881 - David Gestetner founds The Gestetner Cyclograph Company1884 - Albert Blake Dick incorporates as a lumber business1887 - The Edison Mimeograph Model 0 hits the market1891 - Samuel O’Reilly patents the first electric tattoo machine1898 - Neostyle Company introduces the first rotary mimeograph1906 - Gestetner opens a manufacturing plant in London1923 - Wilhelm Ritzerfeld invents the spirit duplicator1929 - Gestetner hires Raymond Loewy to redesign the cyclostyle1929-1930 - Yvor Winters publishes Gyroscope, the first mimeographed literary magazine1942 - Chester Carlson patents xerography1945 - WWII ends1955 - US involvement in Viet Nam begins1960 - The first xerox copier becomes commercially available1961 - The Floating Bear #1 is published1961 - Diane Di Prima and LeRoi Jones are arrested on obscenity charges1962 - SDS Port Huron Statement is published1962 - Ed Sanders publishes the first issue of Fuck You / a magazine of the arts1969 - BSU at Oregon State publishes the first Scab Sheet1971 - The Floating Bear publishes its final issue1972 - Yardbird Reader v. 1 is published1975 - Vietnam war ends1976 - The final Yardbird Reader is published1977 - Y-Bird v. 1 is published1980 - Risograph duplicators are released in JapanREFERENCESAlfred, R. (2008, August 8). Aug. 8, 1876: Run This Off on the Mimeo. WIRED. https://www.wired.com/2008/08/dayintech-0808-2/Ashawnta_Jackson. (2024). Exploring the Yardbird Reader. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/exploring-the-yardbird-reader/Clayman, A. (2025, January 9). A. B. Dick Company, est. 1884 - Made-in-Chicago Museum. Made-in-Chicago Museum. https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/single-post/ab-dick-company/Digital Collection - service/instruction manuals – Mimeograph Revival. (2024, October 18). Mimeograph Revival. https://www.mimeographrevival.com/manuals/Donley, K. (2014, November 22). stencil duplicator. MULTIMEDIAMAN. https://multimediaman.blog/tag/stencil-duplicator/Edison’s electrical pen and duplicating press. (1871). Mimeograph Revival. https://www.mimeographrevival.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Edison-Electrical-Pen-and-Duplicating-Press.1876-Expo.pdfEinträge Archiv | Exploriso: Low-tech fine Art. (n.d.). Exploriso: Low-tech Fine Art. https://en.exploriso.info/exploriso/Floating Bear Archive. (2006, October 3). Reality Studio. https://realitystudio.org/bibliographic-bunker/floating-bear-archive/Gestetner Cyclostyle Office Duplication Machine Design by Raymond Loewy | Hagley. (n.d.). https://www.hagley.org/librarynews/gestetner-cyclostyle-office-duplication-machine-design-raymond-loewyHawley, H. (2006). Revaluing mimeographs as historical sources. RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage. https://rbm.acrl.org/index.php/rbm/article/viewFile/414/414Helland, M. (2024, February 24). THE HISTORY OF THE MIMEOGRAPH — International Printing Museum. International Printing Museum. https://www.printmuseum.org/blog-3/history-of-the-mimeographHome | From a secret location. (2020, July 21). From a Secret Location. https://fromasecretlocation.com/Independent Voices. (n.d.). JSTOR.org. https://www.jstor.org/site/reveal-digital/independent-voices/?so=item_title_str_asc&searchkey=1760415107268Mimeograph machines. (n.d.). https://museumofprinting.org/blog/mimeograph-machines/Our Own Devices. (2024, January 9). Gestetner Cyclostyle: the Original Office Copy Machine [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdBSYUbaAZgRiordan, E. (2021, July 23). Spirit Duplicators: Early 20th century copier art, fanzines, and the Mimeograph Revolution – News & announcements. https://blog.lib.uiowa.edu/speccoll/2021/07/23/spirit-duplicators-early-20th-century-copier-art-fanzines-and-the-mimeograph-revolution/Rubin, L. (2021, March 6). Women of the Mimeo Revolution: Diane DiPrima & Anne Waldman - Village Preservation. Village Preservation - Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. https://www.villagepreservation.org/2021/03/05/women-of-the-mimeo-revolution-diane-diprima-anne-waldman/Smith, E. (2022, May 20). How Mimeographs Transformed Information Sharing in Schools. Technology Solutions That Drive Education. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2020/09/how-mimeographs-transformed-information-sharing-schoolsThe Mimeograph Revolution | verdant press. (n.d.). https://verdantpress.com/checklist/3110-2/Waugh, K. (n.d.). The Mimeo Revolution. Poet’s House. https://digitalcollections.poetshouse.org/digital-collection/chapbook-collection/mimeo-revolutionWeber, G. (2021, May 3). How an obsolete copy machine started a revolution. Adventure. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/mimeo-mimeograph-revolution-literature-beat-poetry-activismYankelevich, M. (2020, February 3). “Power to the people’s mimeo machines!” or the politicization of small press aesthetics. Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/featured-blogger/83551/power-to-the-peoples-mimeo-machines-or-the-politicization-of-small-press-aesthetics
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Medieval Heraldry
Nov 600:26:48Tap to summarizeMedieval heraldry, originally developed in 12th-century Europe, functioned as a complex system of visual identity. Initially created to distinguish individuals—particularly nobility—on the battlefield and in tournaments, heraldry evolved into a hereditary and legally significant tradition. These emblems, comprised of tinctures (colors), charges (symbols), and shield shapes, became early forerunners of modern branding and identity design. Although inspired by earlier forms such as seals and standards from antiquity, heraldry developed its own rules, vocabulary (blazon), and aesthetic logic, emphasizing contrast and clarity for distant visibility. Heraldic symbols adhered to strict conventions, such as the rule of tincture, and made extensive use of symbolic imagery—from lions and fleurs-de-lis to mythological creatures and geometric forms. Over time, the system expanded to include professionals, women, clergy, towns, and even fictional characters, thereby reinforcing the reach of heraldry across medieval culture. Scholars like Michel Pastoureau have recontextualized heraldry as a significant precursor to graphic and identity design, drawing parallels between medieval coats of arms and modern logos. Indeed, contemporary visual identities—such as university crests, sports team logos, and automotive emblems like Peugeot and Porsche—often draw directly from heraldic elements, both visually and symbolically. Heraldry’s enduring legacy highlights its importance not only as a historical artifact but as a foundational structure in the evolution of design, symbolism, and legal identity systems. Understanding heraldry thus offers critical insights into the roots of modern graphic communication.TIMELINEAncient Times (Pre-Medieval) - Seals Used Across Civilizations: Used in Ancient Greece, Rome, China, and Mesopotamia, etc. for legal and practical identity purposes.1066 – Norman Conquest of England1066 – Bayeux Tapestry: Shows lance flags with charges, a possible early example of European heraldry.1100s - First appearance of heraldic systems, first used by noble combatants 1180 - Women begin adopting arms, almond-shaped1200s - Blazon Language Developed: Formalized system for describing coats of arms in writing.1200 - Members of the clergy adopting arms1220 - Patricians & Bourgeois adopting arms1230 - Artisans begin adopting arms1240 - Corporations begin adopting arms1280s-1290s - Towns begin adopting arms13th & 14th centuries - Religious communities adopt arms14th & 15th Centuries - Printed Heraldry Appears: Woodblock and engraving techniques introduced. Hatching methods used to represent tinctures in black-and-white printing.1484 — The College of Arms was created in England1696 - Armorial Général was created as a registry of arms for taxation in France18th Century - Some scholars dismiss the study of heraldry as outdated or meaningless 1722 - Alexander Nesbitt defends heraldry’s role in social identity.1922 - Porsche created its first logo using heraldic imagery REFERENCESAnonymous. (n.d.). The Manual of Heraldry; Fifth Edition : Being a Concise Description of the Several Terms Used, and Containing a Dictionary of Every Designation in the Science. Project Gutenberg.Beerisyourfriend. (2013, March 13). Z is for zymurgical heraldry. BEER IS YOUR FRIEND.https://beerisyourfriend.org/2013/05/26/z-is-for-zymurgical-heraldry/Boutell, C., Fox-Davies, A. C., & Utting, R. B. (1914). The Handbook to English Heraldry. Project Gutenberg.Carr-Gomm, S. (2005). The Hutchinson dictionary of symbols in art. Helicon.Gallo, G. (2023, October 4). Trinacria: meaning and history of the Sicilian Triskele. Giuseppe Gallo - Designer, Architect, Researcher. https://www.giuseppegallo.design/design-and-communication/meaning-and-history-of-the-sicilian-triskele/Heraldry. (2018). In P. Lagasse & Columbia University, The Columbia Encyclopedia (8th ed.). Columbia University Press. Jackson, A. (2025, April 26). Decoding Porsche logo History, Meaning, and Symbolism. Designhill. https://www.designhill.com/design-blog/decoding-porsche-logo/Keen, M. (2003, 03). Heraldry and the medieval gentle woman. History Today, 53, 21-27. Pierce, R. K. (2025, January 6). University shield and seal | University Marketing & Communications. University Marketing & Communications. https://marcomm.washu.edu/university-shield-seal/Pettengill, B. (2013, August 13). Logo design 101: The coat of arms, crest and shield. https://www.marketing-partners.com/conversations2/logo-design-101-the-coat-of-arms-crest-and-shieldPastoureau, M. (1997). Discoveries: Heraldry. Harry N. Abrams.Pastoureau, M. (2009). Black : the history of a color (English language edition.). Princeton University Press.Pastoureau, M. (2014). Green : the history of a color. Princeton University Press.Pastoureau, M. (2017). Red : the history of a color (J. Gladding, Tran.). Princeton University Press.Pastoureau, M. (2018). Blue : the history of a color (M. Cruse, Tran.; First edition.). Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691251356Pierce, R. K. (2025, January 6). University shield and seal | University Marketing & Communications. University Marketing & Communications. https://marcomm.washu.edu/university-shield-seal/Sutherland, D. (2020). Arms and the Woman: the heraldry of women parliamentarians. In The Coat of Arms (pp. 61–90).https://www.theheraldrysociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sutherland-paper.pdfThiry, S., & Duerloo, L. (2021). Heraldic Hierarchies : Identity, Status and State Intervention in Early Modern Heraldry. (1st ed.). Leuven University Press.Woodcock, T., & Robinson, J. M. (1988). The Oxford guide to heraldry.
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Cuban Posters
Oct 3000:18:29Tap to summarizeCuban graphic design emerges as a vibrant and politically charged art form, reflecting the resilience and creativity of designers amidst challenging circumstances. Through a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of Cuban posters, this research illuminates the innovative techniques, visual languages, and ideological foundations that characterize the era’s influence on graphic design. The study not only sheds light on the intricate interplay of art, politics, and culture in Cuba but also highlights the far-reaching influence of Cuban designers on global visual communication. Art itself is profoundly influenced by politics and social events, serving as a mirror to societal changes and a medium for expressionism in all forms. The political climate and social movements shape the themes and messages conveyed in artworks, reflecting issues important at the time. Posters become tools for activism, challenging power structures and advocating for change. They capture the emotional and psychological impacts of social events, fostering empathy and awareness. Through this dynamic interplay, graphic design not only documents but also influences public perception and dialogue, highlighting its integral role in both reflecting and shaping the socio-political landscape. By unraveling the threads of history, politics, and creativity within Cuban graphic design, this paper offers valuable insights into impact it had on a worldwide scale. Additionally, this episode examines the transformative power of Cuban poster design in graphic communication, shaping societal narratives and challenging established norms through its messaging. Ultimately, this exploration of Cuban graphic design serves as a compelling case study, enriching our understanding of the intricate connections between design, society, and cultural evolution.TIMELINE1902 - Carteles magazine founded; early example of poster design in Cuba, primarily focused on advertising.1900s–1950s - Posters used for public communication due to low literacy rates; emphasis on commercial advertising.1933 - Revolt of the Sergeants overthrows Cuban government; Fulgencio Batista appoints himself military commander and becomes de facto leader.1940 - Batista is elected President of Cuba.1944 - Batista completes term and moves to Florida.1952 - Batista returns to Cuba, leads a military coup, cancels elections, and declares himself president/dictator.1950s - Batista’s regime marked by corruption, censorship, and repression; Cuban society suffers from severe inequality.1959 - Fidel Castro overthrows Batista, marking a dramatic political and cultural shift in Cuba.1959 - Cuban graphic design shifts from commercial to social and political messaging—literacy, public health, and motivation campaigns.1959 - ICAIC (Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos) founded by Saúl Yelin and Alfredo Guevara.1960 - ICAIC opens its own screen-printing workshop, ushering in the “golden age” of Cuban poster design.1963–1982 - Antonio Reboiro works as a designer at ICAIC, opposing Socialist Realism and promoting creative freedom in revolutionary art.1966 - OSPAAAL (Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, and Latin America) founded after the Tricontinental Conference.1969 & 1971 - René Mederos travels to Vietnam to document the war; creates vivid poster series from firsthand experience.1960s–1970s - OSPAAAL posters highlight international struggles, e.g., Lázaro Abreu’s “Solidarity with the African American People”; feature work by Emory Douglas of the Black Panther Party. Posters produced in multiple languages (Spanish, English, French, Arabic) and distributed via Tricontinental magazine. Posters focus on anti-imperialist solidarity, with themes supporting Vietnam, Black Americans, the Congo, and more.1980s–2000s - Political and technological changes mark the decline of the golden age of Cuban poster art. REFERENCESBardellotto, L., & De Mattio, P. (2016). Cinema in the Cuban graphics: posters from the Bardellotto Collection. Silvana.Cant, A. (2012). “Land for those who work it”: a visual analysis of Agrarian reform posters in Velasco’s Peru. Journal of Latin American Studies, 44(1), 1–37.Casals, M. (2020). Chilean! Is This How You Want to See Your Daughter? The Cuban Revolution and Representations of Gender and Family during Chile’s 1964 Anticommunist “Campaign of Terror.” Radical History Review, 136, 111–127.Celina. (2023, July 31). The Art of the Revolution will be Internationalist. Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. https://thetricontinental.org/the-art-of-the-revolution-will-be-internationalist/Corrigan, L. M. (2014). Visual rhetoric and oppositional consciousness: poster art in Cuba and the United States. Intertexts (Lubbock, Tex.), vol. 18, no. 1, 71–91. https://doi.org/10.1353/itx.2014.0006Cushing, L. (2023). How Poster Art of the “Long 1960s” Fueled International Solidarity. Brown Journal of World Affairs, 29(2), 1–18.Cushing, L. (2003). Revolución!: Cuban poster art. Chronicle Books. Dwyer, M. (2016, September 27). Step Inside Cuba's Oldest Printmaking Studio. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/cuban-lithography-printmaking-tradition-culturaltravel-180960612/Fleming, D. (2017). Art of solidarity: Cuban posters for African liberation 1967–1989. Museum Worlds, 5(1), 224-226. https://doi.org/10.3167/armw.2017.050118Mage, Wohlforth, & Robertson. (1960). The Cuban Revolution and Marxist theory. Marxists.org. https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/document/icl-spartacists/cuba/cuba-mt.htmlSolidarity and design: An introduction to OSPAAAL · V&A. (n.d.). Victoria and Albert Museum. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/solidarity-and-design-an-introduction-to-ospaaal?srsltid=AfmBOorXvX_CHRG8XK75Sye76DTmDg2u1xbwDlILkYS9bmDCKhbFWEbyTurner, N. (2017) "Hollywood in Havana: Five Decades Of Cuban Posters Promoting U.S. Films." Riot Material. https://www.riotmaterial.com/hollywood-havana-five-decades-cuban-posters-promotingus-films/Uriarte, L. F. (2005). Modernity and postmodernity from Cuba. Journal of Design History, 18(3), 245–255. https://doi.org/10.1093/jdh/epi047
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Underground Newspapers
Oct 2300:30:35Tap to summarizeUnderground newspapers of the 1960s and ’70s were central to the New Left and broader countercultural movements, serving as both platforms for dissent and vehicles of radical visual experimentation. Often dismissed by mainstream journalism due to their limited circulation, lack of professionalism, and overt bias, these publications were nonetheless vital expressions of political, social, and aesthetic resistance. Historian Bob Ostertag emphasizes the near inseparability of social movements and their press, yet notes the critical neglect of underground newspapers in historical scholarship. Emerging from earlier activist publications and enabled by accessible printing technologies like mimeograph and offset printing, underground newspapers eschewed editorial conventions, embracing experimental layouts, psychedelic imagery, and DIY production methods. Publications like The Los Angeles Free Press, Berkeley Barb, San Francisco Oracle, and East Village Other became iconic not just for their messages, but for their groundbreaking graphic design. These papers also served as training grounds for influential designers and illustrators such as Ron Cobb and Steven Heller, who valued the freedom of expression and anti-commercial ethos they offered. Movements beyond the New Left—including the Black Panther Party, Red Power, Chicano rights, Women’s Liberation, and Gay Liberation—each developed their own newspapers, forming a diverse ecosystem of radical print media. Through networks like the Underground Press Syndicate and Liberation News Service, these publications shared content and ideology, reinforcing solidarity across causes. The underground press is a rich, underappreciated chapter in both journalistic and design history—one where visual form and political function were deeply intertwined in the service of revolution.TIMELINE1958 - The Realist was founded by Paul Krassner1960s - Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) founded as part of the New Left1964 - Los Angeles Free Press founded1965 - Watts Riots1965 - Fifth Estate newspaper founded, Detroit; Berkeley Barb newspaper founded, Berkeley; East Village Other newspaper founded, NYC1965 - The Underground Press Syndicate (UPS) founded1966 - San Francisco Oracle founded 1966 - Album, The Electric Newspaper, released by The East Village Other 1967 - Liberation News Service (LNS) founded1968 - San Francisco Oracle ceases publication1968 - The Freep published the names, addresses, and home telephone numbers of eighty undercover narcotics agents.1969 - last national convention of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)1969 - The Chicano Press Association was formed 1970 - It Ain’t Me Babe was published by Berkeley Women’s Liberation1970s - Freep purchased by Larry Flint 1973 - The Underground Press Syndicate (UPS) dissolved1980 - Berkeley Barb newspaper ceases publication1981 - Liberation News Service (LNS) dissolved2011 - facsimile edition of the San Francisco Oracle publishedREFERENCESGuida, J. (2021). The East Village other. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/the-east-village-other/Cobb, R. (2015). Cartoons. Roncobb.netCohen, A. (1990). The San Francisco Oracle: A Brief History. Serials Review, 16(1), 13–46.Dreyer, T., Embree, A., Duncan, C., & Bishop, S. (2021). Exploring Space City!: Houston’s Historic Underground Newspaper.East Village other. (n.d.). https://nyujournalismprojects.org/eastvillageother/Embree, A., Dreyer, T., & Croxdale, R. (2016). Celebrating the Rag: Austin’s iconic underground newspaper. Lulu.com.Fortin, J. (2020). Ron Cobb, 83, a Pioneer In Science Fiction Design. The New York Times, B7-.Glessing, R. (1970). The Underground Press in America.Heller, S. (2018, May 6). It was 50 Years Ago Today . . .. PRINT Magazine. https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/50-years-ago-today-1960s-design/Heller, S. (2022). Growing Up Underground: A Memoir of Counterculture New York.Kaplan, G. (2013). Power to the People: The Graphic Design of the Radical Press and the Rise of the Counter-Culture, 1964-1974. University of Chicago Press.Kramer, D. J. (Ed.). (2023). Heads Together: Weed and the Underground Press Syndicate, 1965-1973. Edition Patrick Frey.McMillian, J. (2011). Smoking Typewriters: The sixties underground press and the rise of alternative media in America. Oxford University Press.Morley, M. (2019, March 7). The cost of free Love and the designers who bore It—Meet the women of psychedelic design. AIGA Eye on Design. https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/women-of-psychedelic-design/Ostertag, B. (2007). People’s movements, people’s press: The Journalism of Social Justice Movements. Beacon Press.TRR. (2020, September 7). The feminist fandom of Trina Robbins. The Revolution (Relaunch). https://therevolutionrelaunch.com/2020/08/02/the-feminist-fandom-of-trina-robbins/
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Drummer Magazine
Oct 1600:24:55Tap to summarizeIn the aftermath of the Stonewall riots and amidst widespread societal hostility toward LGBTQ+ individuals, Drummer magazine emerged in 1975 as a bold act of resistance and cultural affirmation. Founded by John Embry and originally launched as a newsletter for the Homophile Effort for Legal Protection (H.E.L.P.), Drummer became a groundbreaking publication for gay men involved in leather and BDSM subcultures. Embry, joined by key figures like Jeanne Barney and later Jack Fritscher, used the magazine to amplify radical queer voices, confront law enforcement harassment, and explore taboo themes in sexuality and identity. Amid police raids, legal battles, and frequent censorship, Drummer served as both a creative outlet and a political statement. Fritscher’s tenure as editor from 1977–1979 marked the magazine’s heyday, transforming it into a hub for homoerotic art, fiction, and cultural commentary while expanding the image of gay masculinity through the lens of leather, kink, and alternative identities. Contributors like Robert Mapplethorpe, Tom of Finland, Judy Tallwing, and A. Jay helped shape the visual and ideological language of a community pushing back against mainstream repression. Despite internal tensions and external crackdowns, Drummer played a pivotal role in redefining gay identity beyond stereotypes, coining terms like “Bear,” documenting leather history, and celebrating gender diversity. Running until 1999, the magazine remains one of the most influential queer publications of the 20th century—an artifact of cultural defiance, artistic expression, and liberation politics that challenged both societal norms and gay assimilationist narratives. Its legacy continues to inspire queer publishing and sexual freedom movements today. TIMELINE1962 – Cuban Missile Crisis1963 – JFK assassinated1986 – MLK assassinated1969 – Stonewall Riots in NYC protesting police raids against the Stonewall Inn1970 – Protest marches are held by LGBT people in NYC, SF, Chicago and LA and are considered the first pride parades in America1972 – Watergate1973- American Psychiatric Association declared homosexuality was not a mental illness1974 – Nixon resigns1978 – Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in CA is assassinated1978 – Jim Jones shocked the world with the mass suicide of nearly 1,000 people in Jonestown, Guyana1981 – Start of the AIDS crisis1987 – First AIDS/HIV prevention drug approved by FDA, AZT (shown to markedly reduce transmission of HIV)2003 – Lawrence v. Texas; struck down sodomy laws2012 – Truvada, or PrEP, was approved for use by the FDA; this drug is for the prevention of the spread of HIV.2015 – Gay marriage legal in USAREFERENCESZinn, H. (2003). A People’s History of the United States. Harper Collins. New York.Allen Shapiro. lambiek.net. (2024, January 1). https://www.lambiek.net/artists/s/shapiro_allen.htmBlair, N., & Farber, J. (2023). Castro to Christopher: Gay streets of America 1979-1986. powerHouse Books.Broverman, N. (2024, April 11). Gay fetish artist Rex has died-see some of his iconic work. Out Magazine. https://www.out.com/art/gay-fetish-artist-rex-died#rebelltitem1Flanagan, M. (2017, September 24). BARchive :: When “drummer” came to town. Bay Area Reporter. https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=bartab&sc=leather-kink&id=249252Fritscher, J. J., & Hemry, M. (2008). Gay San Francisco: Eyewitness drummer. Palm Drive Pub.Fritscher, J. (2020). Gay pioneers: HOW DRUMMER magazine shaped gay popular culture 1965-1999. Palm Drive Publishing.Fritshcher, J. (1989). Pentimento for Robert Mapplethorpe. Drummer, (133), 8–15. https://jackfritscher.com/PDF/Mapplethorpe/Drummer133_Pentimento-Mapplethorpe.pdfGates, A. (2025, January 10). Anita Bryant, whose anti-gay politics undid a singing career, is dead at 84. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/09/arts/music/anita-bryant-dead.htmlJones, C. (2017). When we rise: My life in the Movement. Hachette Books.Meyer, R. (1990). Imagining Sadomasochism: Robert Mapplethorpe and the Masquerade of Photography. Qui Parle, 4(1), 62–78. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20685907OKeeffe, K. (2019, February 23). The life, death and legacy of Robert Opel, the bisexual Oscar streaker. Advocate.com. https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/art/2014/03/26/life-death-and-legacy-robert-opel-oscar-streakerPoole, C. (2020, May 13). Bill Ward (1927-1996). Guy Burch. https://www.guyburch.co.uk/?p=2662Project, T. L. H. (2023, October 16). Jack Fritscher : Interview. THE LGBTQHP. https://www.lgbtqhp.org/post/jack-fritscherUS DEPT OF JUSTICE. (2019, March 7). Hate crime laws. Civil Rights Division. https://www.justice.gov/crt/hate-crime-laws
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Willi Smith & WilliWear
Oct 900:19:06Tap to summarizeWilli Smith (1948–1987) was a trailblazing Black fashion designer celebrated for redefining casual fashion through his visionary "Street Couture." Born in Philadelphia, Smith showed early artistic promise, working as an illustrator and studying at the Philadelphia Museum of College Art. He attended Parsons School of Design on scholarships and apprenticed with Arnold Scaasi before working for brands like Talbott and Digits, where he gained industry recognition. In 1976, Smith co-founded WilliWear Ltd. with Laurie Mallet, establishing a brand that fused affordability, inclusivity, and creativity. WilliWear became synonymous with groundbreaking fashion shows, featuring collaborations with artists like Christo and Jeanne-Claude and performance art elements such as costumes for Trisha Brown Dance Company and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Smith’s designs, known for their vibrant patterns, deconstructed silhouettes, and unisex appeal, challenged the exclusivity of high fashion, earning him a Coty American Fashion Critics’ Winnie Award in 1983. Smith's influence extended beyond fashion, touching theater, dance, and public art. He designed workers’ uniforms for Christo’s large-scale installations and costumes for Spike Lee's School Daze and Marvel’s Spider-Man. Despite his success, Smith faced personal and professional challenges, including health struggles. Tragically, he died in 1987 from AIDS-related complications, leaving an indelible mark on the fashion world. Posthumously honored with exhibitions, memorials, and accolades like Willi Smith Day, his legacy remains a testament to his innovative spirit and commitment to democratizing fashion.TIMELINE1948 – Willi Smith was born on February 29th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.1963 – Smith attends Jules E. Mastbaum Technical High School in Philadelphia and begins his first job as an illustrator for Prudence and Strickler's dress shop.1964 – Smith takes a class in fashion illustration at the Philadelphia Museum of College Art.1965 – Designer Arnold Scaasi hired Smith as an apprentice.1965 – Smith enrolled in the fashion designer program at Parsons School of Design.1967 – Smith leaves Parsons and meets artist and future collaborations Christo and Jeanne-Claude.1968 – Smith designs for fashion company Talbott, Bobbie Brooks, Mr. Thompson, and Personal Sportswear before joining Glenora Juniors.1969 – Fashion executives Franklin Trigg and Irving Yanous create junior sportswear label Digits; Smith resigns from Glenora and becomes lead designer for Digits1970 – Smith meets future WilliWear business partner Laurie Mallet; Digits forms the new lower price-point division Syllables, making Smith the lead designer.1971 – Smith hires Mallet as his design assistant at Digits1972 – Smith was nominated for the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Winnie Award, and Digits presented its first runway show.1973 – Smith begins designing for Butterick Patterns and designs costumes for dancer-choreographer Dianne McIntyre’s composition The Lost Sun.1974 – Smith forms Willi Smith Designs, Inc. with his sister Toukie Smith and Rivera-Terreaux.1976 – Smith and Mallet form WilliWear Ltd.1978 – The first WilliWear runaway show takes place at Holy Solomon Gallery with a spring collection influenced by nautical uniforms and Southeast Asian dress; WilliWear opens a new showroom at 62 West 39th Street.1979—Black designers Arthur McGee, Jeffrey Banks, Carl Davis, Jay Jaxon, Kevin Thompson, Robert Miller, and Smith are honored with a fashion show at the Fashion Institute of Technology.1980 – WilliWear’s fall collection is presented at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre with Ailey dancers as models.1981 – The Black Fashion Museum organizes the exhibition Bridal Gowns of Black Designers.1982—Smith participated in a group exhibition at P.S. 1 with fashion designers Cathy Hardwick, Michele Lamy, Corrine Guibert, and Regina Kravitz and presented the installation Art as Damaged Good.1982—Architecture and environmental arts studio SITE designs the WilliWear showroom at 209 West 38th Street.1983 – Smith is awarded the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Winnie Award for womenswear,.1984 – Smith and Mallet establishes a new division of WilliWear called WilliWear Productions, selling mass-produced clothing designed by artist.1985 – Dean Alexander begins to design WilliWear promotional graphics; Smith designs workers’ uniforms for Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s PontNeauf Wrapped in Paris, France.1986 – WilliWear grosses more than $25 million1987 – Working with costume designer Ruth E. Carter, Smith designs homecoming court gowns for Spike Lee’s film School Daze; Smith designs Mary Jane’s wedding dress for Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man.1987 – Smith dies at Mount Sinai Hospital on April 17th from AIDS-related complications; Smith’s funeral is held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on April 20; Parsons hold a memorial service in Smith’s honor.1988—Mayor David Dinkins proclaims Feb. 23 Willi Smith Day;1989 – Andre Walker Becomes the lead designer for WilliWear.1990 – WilliWear closes its womenswear operations and files for bankruptcy.1996 – T.J. Maxx releases a Willi Smith collection manufactured by Nash International under the license given by the Pressman family and Laurie Mallet.REFERENCESActivism. (2016). Black Fashion Designers - The Museum at FIT. Retrieved August 5, 2025, from https://exhibitions.fitnyc.edu/black-fashion-designers/?url=gallery-activism.Barry, J. (2025). Judith Barry on Willi Smith and Polydisciplinary Magnetism – Art, Culture, and Technology (ACT). Mit.edu. https://act.mit.edu/2020/08/congratulations-to-the-class-of-2020/Barry, J., Krishnamurthy, P., & Young, F. (2025). Polydisciplinary Magnetism — Willi Smith Community Archive. Cargo.site. https://willismitharchive.cargo.site/Polydisciplinary-Magnetism/Bullock, M. (2019). Michael Bullock | WILLI SMITH. Michaelbullock.nyc. https://michaelbullock.nyc/volumes/journalism/space-explorerBullock, M. (2020). How SITE and The Late Fashion Designer Willi Smith Brought The Street Into The Showroom. Pinupmagazine.org. https://archive.pinupmagazine.org/articles/article-williwear-site-showroom-michael-bullock#15Burholt, E. (2020, December 1). 1948-1987 – Willi Smith | Fashion History Timeline. Fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu. https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1948-1987-willi-smith/Cameron, A. C. (2020, January 14). Willi Smith: Street Couture | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. https://www.cooperhewitt.org/publications/willi-smith-street-couture/Comita, J. (2020, January 28). How Will Designer Willi Smith Be Remembered? W Magazine. https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/willi-smith-street-couture-alexandra-cunningham-cameronDuncan, F. A. (2020, March 12). Willi Smith Glowing Up History. Cultured Mag. https://www.culturedmag.com/article/2020/03/12/willi-smith-glowing-up-history/Elan, P. (2020, June 8). Willi Smith remembered: the designer who introduced streetwear to the catwalk. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/jun/08/willi-smith-williwear-african-american-streetwear-catwalkFashion — Willi Smith Community Archive. (2025). Cargo.site. https://willismitharchive.cargo.site/FashionHill, R. P. (2021, February 1). Fashion Culture | Willi Smith: The Creative Intersection of an American Genius. E D G E. https://edgexpo.com/2021/02/01/fashion-culture-willi-smith-the-creative-intersection-of-an-american-genius/Introduction. (2016). Black Fashion Designers - The Museum at FIT. Retrieved August 5, 2025, from https://exhibitions.fitnyc.edu/black-fashion-designers/?url=gallery-activism.Jacobs, L. (2021, Jun 14). Arts in review -- exhibition review: Street-smart and worldly wise. Wall Street Journal Lisby, D.-J. (2022, April 6). Willi Smith - The Fashion and Race DatabaseTM. Fashion and Race. https://fashionandrace.org/database/willi-smith/Mayers, C. (2020, October 29). How designer Willi Smith originated the street and high fashion crossover. I-D.co; i-d.co. https://i-d.co/article/fashion-history-of-willi-smith-the-1980s-fashion-designer-behind-williwear/Nylander, L. (2020, August 1). Willi Smith Is The Streetwear Genius You Need To Know About</...
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Women In Magazines
Oct 200:21:02Tap to summarizeThis podcast episode delves into the critical role women have played in shaping the magazine industry through design, editorial leadership, and cultural influence. While season one spotlighted individual designers, this episode zooms out to explore the broader impact women have had on magazine evolution—from early European publications to today’s digital formats. It traces how magazines shifted from reinforcing traditional gender roles to becoming empowering platforms, thanks to figures like Sarah Josepha Hale, Cipe Pineles, Bea Feitler, and Ruth Ansel, who revolutionized both visual style and editorial voice. The episode also highlights the contributions of Black women in publishing, who created their own magazines to amplify underrepresented voices and foster community. Today, designers like Jessica Walsh, Gail Bichler, and Gail Anderson continue this legacy, using bold visuals and innovative technology to push boundaries and expand representation. Through storytelling, activism, and artistry, women have transformed magazines into platforms for cultural commentary and social change—proving that their creativity and leadership are essential to the industry’s past, present, and future.TIMELINE1663-1668 - First magazine-like publication (Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen)1693 - First magazine for women created (Athenian Mercury)1731 - Term “Magazine” first used in the The Gentleman's Magazine1770 - The Lady’s Magazine began1830 - Godey’s Lady’s Book, an American magazine for women, was started by a man named Louis A. Godey1832-1852 - The Ladies’ Cabinet was created and sold1855 - Photolithography is invented1870-1927 - The Woman’s Journal, which would eventually merge with The Woman Citizen, was released in Boston1885 - Good Housekeeping first published1891-1894 - Ringwood’s Afro-American Journal of Fashion Magazines were published and distributed1899 - The Saturday Evening Post printed the first full-page illustrated cover1916-1925 - Half-Century Magazine was created and distributed1920 - Women were granted the right to vote1932-1935 - Cipe Pineless works as assistant art director for Conde Nast1945 - Ebony Magazine was first published1954 - Dorothy Dandridge was the first black woman on a mainstream magazine cover1961 - Bea Feitler is hired at Harper’s Bazaar1965 - Bea Feitler and Ruth Ansel release famous cover of Jean Shrimpton for Harper's Bazaar1974 - Ruth Ansel becomes the first female art director and the New York Times MagazineREFERENCES2008 AIGA medalist: Gail Anderson. (n.d.). AIGA. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://www.aiga.org/membership-community/aiga-awards/2008-aiga-medalist-gail-andersonBurkhalter, N. (1996). Women’s magazines and the suffrage movement: Did they help or hinder the cause? Journal of American Culture, 19(2), 13–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1542-734x.1996.1902_13.xClair, C. (1969). A chronology of printing. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.Ed.D., G. M. (2024, March 1). Women’s History Month: The Life of Dorothy Dandridge. Benicia Magazine. https://www.beniciamagazine.com/womens-history-month-the-life-of-dorothy-dandridge/Ellis, E., Golden, C. P., & Fripp, C. B. (2005). Cipe Pineles: Two remembrances. RIT Cary Graphic Arts Press.Eye Magazine. (n.d.). Eye Magazine. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/reputations-gail-bichlerFerguson, M. (1983). Forever feminine: Women’s magazines and the cult of femininity. Heinemann Educational Books.Forster, L. (2015). Magazine movements: Women’s culture, feminisms and media form. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.history of publishing. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/publishing/additional-infoMcCracken, E. (1993). Decoding Women’s Magazines: From mademoiselle to Ms.Osei-Hwere, E., & Osei-Hwere, P. (n.d.). History of magazine publishing. Media Communication, Convergence and Literacy. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://oer.pressbooks.pub/mediacommunication/chapter/history-of-magazine-publishing/Rooks, N. M. (2004). Ladies’ pages: African American women’s magazines and the culture that made them. Rutgers University Press.Sperandio, A. T., & Bouadana, S. (2010). Ruth Ansel: art direction. Creative Review (London, England), 30(5), 28–36.The Luupe. (n.d.). Jessica Walsh on Building Her Own Design Studio and Breaking Clichés. Retrieved July 20, 2025, from https://studio.theluupe.com/blog/jessica-walsh-on-building-her-own-design-studio-and-breaking-clichesThomson, E. M. (1994). Early Graphic Design Periodicals in America. Journal of Design History, 7(2), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.1093/jdh/7.2.113
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Prostitutes, Penitents, Printers (guest host - Ela Egidy)
Sep 2500:38:12Tap to summarizeBetween 1557 and 1561, a group of women at the convent Santa Maria Maddalena alla Giudecca, known as The Convertite on Giudecca island in Venice ran one of the earliest female operated printing presses in early modern Europe. Unlike other women printers of the time – often widows inheriting their husbands’ shops – these women worked collectively from within an enclosed convent. They were not noblewomen or scholars, but former sex workers, concubines and social outcasts, admitted to the convent precisely because they did not meet society’s ideals of chastity. They lived in poverty and they laboured out of necessity. They printed at least twenty-five titles in Latin and the Venetian dialect, including works authored by medieval visionaries and unknown women. I make a case that these women used typography not just to reproduce words in print, but as a way to remake their subjectivity. Their printing practice was physical, spiritual, and deeply embodied. Their work reveals how books are shaped not only by ideas, but by rituals, and bodies. One of their prints still bears the trace of a single strand of hair – caught between type and paper – a quiet archival witness to their presence.Almost entirely overlooked in mainstream design history, the Convertite’s press offers a radically different story; one where women laboured under restriction and violence, but still found ways to produce, preserve, and participate. Their story is not one of genius or invention, but of resilience, survival, and the printed works they left behind.Content warning: this episode contains references to violence, sexual abuse and rape. Please take care while listening.TIMELINE1542 – Fourteen women enter the newly founded Convertite convent in Giudecca, Venice1551 – Nuns granted permission to profess vows under the Rule of St Augustine1557 – Convertite nuns begin operating a printing press; 2 editions printed1558 – 5 editions printed1559 – 10 editions printed; some sold at the Alla Speranza bookshop in Campo Santa Maria Formosa1560 – 7 editions printed 1561 – 1 edition printed; marks the end of the press’s activity1561 (6 Nov) – Rector Pietro Leon da Valcamonica sentenced to death by the Council of Ten for rape and abuse of more than 20 nuns1561 (10 Nov) – Valcamonica executed in Piazza San Marco; printing operations ceaseEarly 1800s – Monastery suppressed by Napoleon and converted into a military prisonMid-1800s – Building transformed into a women’s prison2024 – Con i miei occhi, the Holy See’s pavilion for the 60th Venice Biennale, opens to the public at Casa di Reclusione Femminile, the former site of the Convertite conventREFERENCESApostolos-Cappadona, D. (2023). Mary Magdalene: A Visual History. Bloomsbury Publishing. Barbieri, E. (2011). Per monialium poenitentium manus”. La tipografia del monastero di Santa Maria Maddalena alla Giudecca, detto delle Convertite (1557-1561). La Bibliofilía, 113(3), 303-354. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26198930Bartlett, R. (1994). Symbolic Meanings of Hair in the Middle Ages. Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 4, 43-60. https://doi.org/10.2307/3679214Brown, P. F. (2004). Private Lives in Renaissance Venice: Art, Architecture, and the Family. Yale University Press. Bynum, C. W. (1991). Fragmentation and Redemption: Essays on Gender and the Human Body in Medieval Religion. Zone Books. https://www.zonebooks.org/books/53-fragmentation-and-redemption-essays-on-gender-and-the-human-body-in-medieval-religionChambers, D. S., Fletcher, J., Pullan, B. S., & America, R. S. (2001). Venice: A Documentary History, 1450-1630. University of Toronto Press. Chow, K.-w. (2007). Reinventing GutenbergWoodblock and Movable-Type Printing in Europe and China. In S. A. Baron, E. N. Lindquist, & E. F. Shevlin (Eds.), Agent of Change (pp. 169-192). University of Massachusetts Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5vk8sv.14Elliott, D. (2010). Flesh and Spirit: The Female Body. In (pp. 13-46). https://doi.org/10.1484/M.BCEEC-EB.3.2618Feher, M., Naddaff, R., & Tazi, N. (1989). Fragments for a History of the Human Body. Zone. Littau, K. (2006). Theories of Reading: Books, Bodies, and Bibliomania. Polity Press. McGough, L. (2010). Gender, Sexuality, and Syphilis in Early Modern Venice: The Disease that Came to Stay. Palgrave Macmillan UK. McGough, L. J. (1997). "Raised from the devil's jaws": A convent for repentant prostitutes in Venice, 1530-1670. Northwestern University. McKenzie, D. F. (1999). Bibliography and the sociology of texts. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511483226McKenzie, D. F., McDonald, P. D., & Suarez, M. F. (2002). Making Meaning: "Printers of the Mind" and Other Essays. University of Massachusetts Press. Moreton, M. N. (2013). "Scritto di bellissima lettera": nuns' book production in fifteenth and sixteenth-century Italy. https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.l282y0odMuir, E. (1997). Ritual in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge University Press. Peckham, M. (1971). Reflections on the Foundations of Modern Textual Editing. In J. Katz. (Ed.), Proof: The Yearbook of American Bibliographical and Textual Studies 1 (pp. 122-155). University of South Carolina Press. Richardson, K. (2021). Roma in the Medieval Islamic World. Roma in the Medieval Islamic World, 1-256. Vervliet, H. D. L. (2008). The Palaeotypography of the French Renaissance: Selected Papers on Sixteenth-century Typefaces. Brill.
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Kustom Kulture
Sep 1800:26:17Tap to summarizeKustom Kulture is the name for a subcultural movement from the 1950s and 60s in America. This movement included souping up cars to create hot rods and customizing cars into unique one-of-a-kind creations. These custom cars were an identity for the, usually, men that drove them. This movement has been called a distinctly masculine movement and is said to have died out when Detroit car manufacturers started appropriating elements from both rods and customs into mainstream-designed cars. Yet this unique phenomenon produced many visual elements that are still popular today, including graphics such as flames, lettering, and demented-looking characters often called weirdos. Perhaps the king of the weirdos was a character known as Rat Fink, who represented the antithesis of Mickey Mouse, created by pinstriper, painter, and custom car maker Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. Other custom car legends include George Barris, Von Dutch, Dean Jefferies, and Robert William. While the phenomenon was indeed short-lived it has left a lasting impression on American culture and graphic design. Crab claw Flames, funky lettering, flying eyeballs, and demented characters are still popular today as are offshoots such as lowbrow art or pop-surrealism.TIMELINE1925 - George Barris born1929 - Kenneth Robert Howard, Known as Von Dutch born1932 - Ed Roth Born1933 - Dean Jeffries born1948 - Von Dutch drew his first flying eyeball1948 - Hot Rod Magazine is published1950s-1960s - Flake Paint popularized1953 - Barris Customs designs the Hirohata Merc1953 - Car Craft Magazine is published1955 - Dean Jeffries paints “Little Bastard” on James Dean’s Porsche Spyder1961 - Beatnik Bandit designed by Roth1963 - "There Goes (Varoom! Varoom!) That Kandy-Kolored (Thphhhhhh!) Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby (Rahghhh!) Around the Bend (Brummmmmmmmmmmmmmm)…" by Tom Wolfe published in Esquire1964 - Orbitron designed by Roth1965 - Road Agent designed by Roth1968 - Beatnik Bandit is cast as a model car (either by Hot Wheels or Revell)1970s - Odd Rods stickers designed by B.K. Taylor debut1992 - Kenneth Robert Howard, Known as Von Dutch dies1994 - Juxtapoz magazine founded (by Robert Williams et al.)2001 - Ed Roth Dies2013 - Dean Jeffries Dies2015 - George Barris diesREFERENCESAdamson, G. (2021). Craft: an American History.Bernsau, T. (2022, February 8). The Once-Lost Hirohata Merc built by Barris Kustom heads to auction. MotorTrend. https://www.motortrend.com/features/hirohata-merc-mecum-auctions-kissimmee-2022/Bernsau, T. (2021, August 3). Traditional Hot Rod Flames: Details + Photo Gallery from Back to the ’50s. MotorTrend. https://www.hotrod.com/features/hot-rod-flames-back-to-the-50s/DeWitt, J. (2002). Cool Cars, High Art: the rise of kustom kulture. Ganahl, P. (2003). Ed “Big Daddy” Roth: His Life, Time, Cars, and Art. Cartech.https://www.jalopyjournal.com/Kuersteiner, K. (2012). Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, The Architect of Odd Rods. The Wrapper. https://thewrapper.tripod.com/RatFink.htmlKustomrama.comLowey, I., & Prince, S. (2014). The Graphic Art of the Underground.Martinez, R. (2015, December 5). From Pop Surrealism to Lowbrow - Something Got Lost in Translation. Widewalls. https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/pop-surrealism-lowbrowParliament, I. C. (2008). Kustom Graphics: Hot Rods, Burlesque and Rock “n” Roll. Korero Books.Parliament, I. C. (2010). Kustom Graphics 2: Hot Rods, Burlesque and Rock “n” Roll. Korero Books.Roth, E., & Kusten, H. (1992). Confessions of a Rat Fink: The Life and Times of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.Surrealism Today. (2023, April 26). The Lowbrow Art Movement: Ultimate Guide to pop Surrealism - Surrealism Today. https://surrealismtoday.com/lowbrow-art-movement-pop-surrealism/#:~:text=Lowbrow%2C%20also%20known%20as%20pop,evocative%2C%20and%20often%20controversial%20works.
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Jackie Ormes
Sep 1100:22:24Tap to summarizeJackie Ormes, an African-American cartoonist from Pennsylvania, was born on August 1st, 1911. Her father, William Winfield Jackson, owned and operated a printing business, and her mother, Mary Brown Jackson, was a homemaker. As a teenager, Jackie published her first comics in her school’s yearbook as Monongahela High School’s Yearbook arts editor. After graduating, she worked as a proofreader for the Pittsburgh Courier, an African American newspaper. This is also where she starts her first comic strip with “Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem.” After being with the Pittsburgh Courier, she moved to Chicago and became a journalist and special assignment reporter. She would later return to the Courier and make her most well-known comic strip, “Patty Jo `n’ Ginger. The strip was about a stylish and sarcastic little girl who offered commentary to political and sociological commentary to her older sister, Ginger. The comic strip was so popular that Ormes created and produced the Patty Jo dolls. The dolls were the first African American girl dolls to include an extensive wardrobe and break the norms of African American girl dolls being depicted from racist stereotypes. Jackie Ormes would also create her last comic strip, Torchy Brown, Heartbeats, for the Pittsburgh Courier. Toward the end of her career, she dedicated her time to giving back to the Chicago community and painting murals and portraits. Jackie Ormes's career is a trailblazer in vocalizing social and political injustices through the lens of being an African American woman.TIMELINE1911 – Born Zelda Jackie Jackson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania1929-1930 – Arts Editor for the Monogahela High School Yearbook1930 – Graduated from Monongahela High School1930-1937 – Worked for the Pittsburgh Courier1937-1938 – Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem comic strip1942-1945 – Worked for the Chicago Defender1945-1945 – Candy comic strip1945-1956 – Went back to work for the Pittsburgh Courier1945-1956 – Patty Jo ‘n” Ginger comic strip1947-1949 – Patty Jo doll series1948-1958 – Investigated by the FBI1950-1954 – Torchy Brown, Heartbeats comic strip1956 – Retired from cartooning1985 – Died in Chicago2014 – Inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists2018 – Inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Industry Hall of FameREFERENCESAshawnta_Jackson. (2022). The groundbreaking work of Jackie Ormes. JSTOR Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/the-groundbreaking-work-of-jackie-ormes/Blackartstory.org Editors. (2020, September 1). Profile: Jackie Ormes (1911-1985). Black Art Story. https://blackartstory.org/2020/09/01/profile-jackie-ormes-1911-1985/Jackie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist - biography from University of Michigan Press. (n.d.). https://www.jackieormes.com/Jenkins, E. (2009). [Review of JACKIE ORMES: The First African American Woman Cartoonist, by N. Goldstein]. American Studies, 50(1/2), 218–219. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41057260McGurk, C. (2013, February 22). Found in the collection: Jackie Ormes! (1911-1985) | Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Blog. https://library.osu.edu/site/cartoons/2013/02/22/found-in-the-collection-jackie-ormes-1911-1985/Norris, K. (2008, July 29). Comics Crusader: Remembering Jackie Ormes. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2008/07/29/93029000/comics-crusader-remembering-jackie-ormesOnion, R. (2013, August 13). Fifty Years Before Boondocks There Was Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger. Slate Magazine. https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/08/patty-jo-n-ginger-the-ground-breaking-african-american-cartoon-of-the-1940s.htmlSeaman, D. (2008, February 1). Jackie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist. Booklist, 104(11), 22. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A174747902/LitRC?u=edmo56673&sid=summon&xid=fe888f06Teutsch, M. (2018, January 8). Cartoonist Jackie Ormes’ commentary on Black life. AAIHS - African American Intellectual History Society. https://www.aaihs.org/cartoonist-jackie-ormes-commentary-on-black-life/Woodford, J. (2208) Review of Jackie Ormes: A Great Cartoonist Finally Gets Her Due, by Nancy Goldstein. The Black Scholar 38, no. 2/3 , 54–60. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41069980.
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