Events › Meet Chester Commodore: Drawing and Illustration 101

Archives Tie: Chester Commodore Papers,

Chester Commodore was one of the most influential and acclaimed African American cartoonists of the twentieth century. During the nearly 50 years his cartoons appeared in the Chicago Defender, Commodore used his art to advocate for racial justice, human rights, and equality of opportunity. From the 1954 appearance of his world-famous first editorial cartoon (on the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education, featuring a hammer breaking chains); his work reached an international audience. More than that, his widely seen cartoons helped to bridge the gulf between the two "parallel universes" representing the separate worlds of Blacks and Whites in the twentieth century. Through his realistic and non-stereotyped depiction of human subjects, Commodore helped to end the "eight-ball" caricature that white cartoonists had used to depict African Americans.

Led by artist Anthony Fowler Jr., participants will explore the work of Chester Commodore through selected pieces from our archive. Following this introduction, Anthony will lead a workshop he designed to teach elements of drawing and comic book illustration, empowering participants to tell their own stories.

Presented as part of the Renaissance Project, this event invites participants to actively engage with the rich and often untold stories of Black history and heritage at Chicago Public Library.

This program is made possible with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to the Chicago Public Library Foundation.

Accessibility

Need sign language interpretation or other accessibility assistance for this event? Please call (312) 747-8184 or email access@chipublib.org to request accommodations. Requests must be made at least 14 business days before the event.