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Morris Nolton "Morrie" Turner (December 11, 1923 – January 25, 2014) was an African American cartoonist, creator of the strip ''Wee Pals'', the first American syndicated strip with an integrated cast of characters. == Biography == Turner was raised in Oakland, California, the youngest child of a Pullman porter father and a homemaker and/or nurse mother.〔 Turner got his first training in cartooning via the Art Instruction, Inc. home study correspondence course. During World War II, where he served as a mechanic with Tuskegee Airmen,〔 his illustrations appeared in the newspaper ''Stars and Stripes''. After the war, while working for the Oakland Police Department, he created the comic strip ''Baker's Helper''.〔(Turner entry ), ''Lambiek's Comiclopedia''. Accessed Jan. 27, 2014.〕 When Turner began questioning why there were no minorities in cartoons, his mentor, Charles M. Schulz of ''Peanuts'' fame, suggested he create one.〔Ross, Martha. ("Morrie Turner: Pioneering 'Wee Pals' cartoonist, dies at 90," ) ''Contra Costa Times'' (Jan. 27, 2014).〕 Morris' first attempt, ''Dinky Fellas'', featured an all-black cast, but found publication in only one newspaper, the ''Chicago Defender''. Turner integrated the strip, renaming it ''Wee Pals'', and in 1965 it became the first American syndicated comic strip to have a cast of diverse ethnicity.〔 Although the strip was only originally carried by five newspapers, after Martin Luther King's assassination in 1968, it was picked up by more than 100 papers. In 1970 Turner became a co-chairman of the White House Conference on Children and Youth.〔 Turner appeared as a guest on the May 14, 1973, episode of ''Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'', where he showed the host pictures he had drawn of several of his neighbors. Turner also presented a clip from his ''Kid Power'' animated series, which was airing Saturday mornings on ABC at the time. As well, during the 1972-73, ''Wee Pals on the Go'' was aired by ABC's owned-and-operated station in San Francisco, KGO-TV. This Sunday morning show featured child actors who portrayed the main characters of Turner's comic strip: Nipper, Randy, Sybil, Connie and Oliver. With and through the kids, Turner explored venues, activities and objects such as a candy factory and a train locomotive. As the comic strip continued, Turner added characters of more and more ethnicities, as well as a child with a physical disability. During the Vietnam War, Turner and five other members of the National Cartoonist Society traveled to Vietnam, where they spent a month drawing more than 3,000 caricatures of service people.〔 Turner contributed his talents to concerts by the Bay Area Little Symphony of Oakland, California. He drew pictures to the music and of children in the audience. 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 class's students to create the book ''Wee the Kids from Oakland''. Turner died on January 25, 2014, at age 90.〔Kelly, George. ("Remembering 'Wee Pals' creator Morrie Turner: Social media reaction," ) ''San Jose Mercury News'' (Jan. 27, 2014).〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Morrie Turner」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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