Chester Commodore
Encyclopedia
Chester Commodore was an African American
cartoonist
, both of political cartoons and comic strip
s. Born in Racine
,Wisconsin, Commodore was always interested in drawing. His parents and sisters moved to Chicago in 1923, but Chester and his older brother stayed in Racine with his maternal grandmother in her boarding house until he moved to Chicago in 1927.
While still in high school, he tried to get a job with the Chicago Defender
, one of the country's most notable African American newspaper
s, but its publisher, Robert Abbott, told him to finish his education first. Following school, he worked as a chauffeur and a mechanic, and got a job with the Pullman Company
. He was always drawing, and posted his drawings on company bulletin boards. He was recommended for a staff position with the Minneapolis Star in 1938, but when he showed up for the interview, he was told that there was no such job.
Finally, in 1948 he went to work for the Defender, doing layout, but soon started drawing cartooons for the paper. His first strip, in 1948, was called The Sparks . He took over Jay Jackson's strip Bungleton Green in the early 1950s and contributed to the cartoon features The Ravings of Professor Doodle and So What?. When Jay Jackson died in 1954, Commodore took over his role drawing editorial cartoons for the paper. From 1974 he drew a weekly full-page caricature for the cover of the Defenders weekly arts supplement, Accent. The series lasted for more than five years.
Commodore and his wife retired to Colorado Springs, Colorado
in 1981, but from 1992 he resumed work for the Defender, contributing a weekly cartoon until his death in 2004.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
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...
, both of political cartoons and comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
s. Born in Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
,Wisconsin, Commodore was always interested in drawing. His parents and sisters moved to Chicago in 1923, but Chester and his older brother stayed in Racine with his maternal grandmother in her boarding house until he moved to Chicago in 1927.
While still in high school, he tried to get a job with the Chicago Defender
Chicago Defender
The Chicago Defender is a Chicago based newspaper founded in 1905 by an African American for primarily African American readers.In just three years from 1919–1922 the Defender also attracted the writing talents of Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks....
, one of the country's most notable African American newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s, but its publisher, Robert Abbott, told him to finish his education first. Following school, he worked as a chauffeur and a mechanic, and got a job with the Pullman Company
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
. He was always drawing, and posted his drawings on company bulletin boards. He was recommended for a staff position with the Minneapolis Star in 1938, but when he showed up for the interview, he was told that there was no such job.
Finally, in 1948 he went to work for the Defender, doing layout, but soon started drawing cartooons for the paper. His first strip, in 1948, was called The Sparks . He took over Jay Jackson's strip Bungleton Green in the early 1950s and contributed to the cartoon features The Ravings of Professor Doodle and So What?. When Jay Jackson died in 1954, Commodore took over his role drawing editorial cartoons for the paper. From 1974 he drew a weekly full-page caricature for the cover of the Defenders weekly arts supplement, Accent. The series lasted for more than five years.
Commodore and his wife retired to Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
in 1981, but from 1992 he resumed work for the Defender, contributing a weekly cartoon until his death in 2004.