Morrie Turner
Encyclopedia
Morris "Morrie" Turner is the first nationally syndicated
African-American cartoonist
. Raised in Oakland, California
, where he still resides, Turner is the creator of comic strip Wee Pals
. He grew up in West Oakland and attended McClymonds High School
; in his senior year, he moved to Berkeley to finish his high school years at Berkeley High School. When he began questioning why there were no minorities in cartoons, his mentor, Charles Schulz of Peanuts
fame, suggested he create one. In 1965, the strip Wee Pals became the first comic strip syndicated in the United States to have a cast of diverse ethnicity. In 2003, the National Cartoonist Society recognized him for his work on this strip and others with Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award.
Turner, who prefers going by the name Morrie, also contributes his talents to concerts by the Bay Area Little Symphony of Oakland, California
. He draws pictures to the music and of children in the audience.
Turner has the original copy of the book Wee Pals which was burned in a house fire at his home in Berkeley. The fire was 25 years ago and the house has been rebuilt.
On May 25, 2009, Turner visited Westlake Middle School in Oakland to give a lesson to the OASES Comic Book Preachers Class of drawing. Turner collaborated with the students of the class to create the book Wee The Kids from Oakland, which gives a chance for students to express their challenges, successes and pride as youth in Oakland.
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
African-American cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
. Raised in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, where he still resides, Turner is the creator of comic strip Wee Pals
Wee Pals
Wee Pals is a syndicated comic strip about a diverse group of children, created and produced by Morrie Turner.-Background:Wee Pals first appeared on February 15, 1965. Syndicated by the Des Moines Register and Tribune Syndicate, the strip originally appeared in only 5 daily newspapers, as many...
. He grew up in West Oakland and attended McClymonds High School
McClymonds High School
McClymonds High School is a public high school in the West Oakland neighborhood of Oakland, California, USA.In addition to being the third oldest high school in Oakland, it is the larger of the two high schools in West Oakland , and the only high school in West Oakland operated by the Oakland...
; in his senior year, he moved to Berkeley to finish his high school years at Berkeley High School. When he began questioning why there were no minorities in cartoons, his mentor, Charles Schulz of Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
fame, suggested he create one. In 1965, the strip Wee Pals became the first comic strip syndicated in the United States to have a cast of diverse ethnicity. In 2003, the National Cartoonist Society recognized him for his work on this strip and others with Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award.
Turner, who prefers going by the name Morrie, also contributes his talents to concerts by the Bay Area Little Symphony of Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. He draws pictures to the music and of children in the audience.
Turner has the original copy of the book Wee Pals which was burned in a house fire at his home in Berkeley. The fire was 25 years ago and the house has been rebuilt.
On May 25, 2009, Turner visited Westlake Middle School in Oakland to give a lesson to the OASES Comic Book Preachers Class of drawing. Turner collaborated with the students of the class to create the book Wee The Kids from Oakland, which gives a chance for students to express their challenges, successes and pride as youth in Oakland.
External links
- Wee Pals by Morrie Turner - examples of his comics, a biography, and a contact form
- Morrie Turner Collection - original artwork