All-Negro Comics

From blackwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
All-Negro Comics 1.jpg

All-Negro Comics is a 48-page book from 1947 by Orrin C. Evans, a pioneering African-American journalist from Philadelphia.[1] Evans was "the first black writer to cover general assignments for a mainstream white newspaper in the United States" when he joined the staff of the Philadelphia Record. Evans was a member of the NAACP and a strong proponent of racial equality. After the Record closed in 1947, Evans thought he could use the comic-book medium to further highlight "the splendid history of Negro journalism".[2]

All-Negro Comics, no. 1, June 1947. Philadelphia: All-Negro Comics, Inc. Serial and Government Publications Division, Library of Congress (037.00.00)

History

We identified with Superman, Batman, Submariner and the rest of them without giving much thought to it. If you’ve never seen a black hero you don’t spend a lot of time wondering where they are. Today you would, but back then, there were no blacks in ads. It just didn’t happen’. Evans wanted to change all this. Evans was determined that the book should be of high moral and educational standards.[3]

Evans partnered with former Record editor Harry T. Saylor, Record sports editor Bill Driscoll, and two others[4] to found the Philadelphia publishing company All-Negro Comics, Inc., with himself as president. In mid-1947, the company published one issue of All-Negro Comics, a 48-page,[4] standard-sized comic book with a typical glossy color cover and newsprint interior.[5] It was copyrighted July 15, 1947, with a June 1947 issue date, and its press run and distribution are unknown. Unlike other comic books of the time, it sold for 15 cents rather than 10 cents.[6]

Black Empowering Content

All-Negro Comics is most notable for being the first comic to emphasize positive portrayals of African-American characters at a time when most were depicted as racist caricatures.

The characters included an African-American police detective Ace Harlem and Lion Man, a college-educated scientist sent to Africa on a mission by the United Nations. "The villains were a couple of zoot-suited, jive-talking Negro muggers, whose presence in anyone else's comics might have brought up complaints of racial 'distortion.' Since it was all in the family, Evans thought no Negro readers would mind. Other features include a boys’ adventure text story, humor and children’s comics, all with an eye toward appealing to a wide range of African-American readers – by sharing stories meant to inspire pride in their African heritage.

Unable to find a wholesaler willing to sell him newsprint for a second issue, Evans returned to newspapers. However, his landmark All-Negro Comics was among the first American small press publications.[7]

Evans died in 1971. In 2014, he was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the comic arts.[8] All-Negro Comics now displayed at Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia as a tool for race related education.[9]

References

  1. Artifact spotlight: All-Negro Comics, #1. Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  2. All-Negro Comics. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  3. Christopher, Tom. Orrin C Evans and the Story of All Negro Comics. 2002. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  4. "The Press: Ace Harlem to the Rescue" Time. July 14, 1947.Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  5. All-Negro Comics #1. The Grand Comic Database. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  6. All-Negro Comics #1. The Grand Comic Database. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  7. Comic Books and Beyond: 1940s-2000s. Library of Congress. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  8. Artifact spotlight: All-Negro Comics, #1. Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  9. All-Negro Comics. Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia. Retrieved January 13, 2021.