This episode investigates the story of George Herriman, illustrator and cartoonist known for his long-running and popular comic strip Krazy Kat.
George Herriman was a cartoonist, illustrator, and pioneer of the cartoon comics genre, and is perhaps most known for his long-running and wildly popular comic strip Krazy Kat. Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, and John Jacob Astor, a wealthy business tycoon, were some of the famous fans of Herriman’s comics. Astor went so far as to name his dog Ignatz for the mouse that was Krazy Kat’s constant companion. Herriman’s work was not only popular but also influential and was said to have inspired cartoonists Patrick McDonnell, the creator of the strip Mutts, and Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes. There are even rumors that Walt Disney was inspired by Krazy Kat in his creation of Mickey Mouse, and visual similarities between the two characters are striking. Krazy Kat wasn’t just a goofy comic strip as it also provided social commentary containing themes of spirituality, surrealism, philosophy, literary allegories, the study of phrenology, as well as veiled commentary on racism. Although subtle, his allegories about racism reflect his opinion on the absurdity of social, economic, and political discrimination based on skin color. Many of the storylines in Krazy Kat were in fact hidden reflections of the artist’s own struggles, as a Creole man of mixed-race heritage, passing for white even at the time of his death. Herriman knew the consequences that would ensue if anyone found out about his racial ancestry, he intended his secret to die with him and not even his own daughters knew.
1880 – b New Orleans, Louisiana
1890 – Herriman and family moved from Louisiana to LA; likely begins passing as white
1892 – Attended St. Vincent's Collegiate course
1896 – 16, Herriman joined the St. Vincent Lyceum; Excelled at Honors English, penmanship, geography, languages
1897 – Herriman worked at the first newspaper The Los Angeles Herald at 17 years old; Made first illustrations there.
1901 – Herriman first meets William Randolph Hearst & works for Evening Journal New York American.
1902 – Herriman married Mabel Lillian Bridge
1901-1922 – Herriman moved across the country working for multiple printing agencies
1911 – Krazy Kat & Ignatz's 1st official appearance under The Dingbat Family comics.
1913 – Krazy Kat finally is a stand-alone comic strip for The Evening Journal. ● 1922- Permanent residence in LA under different papers for William Randolph Hearst from 1922 to his death.
1944 – died in his sleep at the age of 64
1971 – Herriman’s racial identity is discovered by Arthur Berger
Bellot, G. (2017, January 19). The gender fluidity of Krazy Kat. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-gender-fluidity-of-krazy-kat
Fikes, R. (2021, January 19). George Joseph Herriman (1880-1944) https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/herriman-george-joseph-1880-1944/
Tisserand, M. (2016). Krazy: George Herriman, A life black and white. HarperCollinsPublishers
Walker, T. (2020, February 20). Influential comic artist George Herriman. The Dream Foundry. https://dreamfoundry.org/2020/02/14/influential-comic-artist-george-herriman/