Posting for Mike Rhode:
Tue Mar 17, 2009
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090317/pl_usnw/new_documentary_to_explore_america_s_first_multi_cultural_comic_strip;_ylc=X3oDMTB0ZWs2cDJqBF9TAzIxNTExMDUEZW1haWxJZAMxMjM3Mzc4MTQy
To: NATIONAL EDITORS
Contact: Jennifer White of NPJ Advertising & Public Relations, +1-202-347-6464, for Heaven Sent Productions
"Wee Pals" documentary coming to D.C. as the first stop on the film's tour across the country
WASHINGTON, March 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Actress, producer, director, comedian, and author of Master the Art of Cold Reading Angel Harper and Heaven Sent Productions will be hosting An Evening with the Stars, a discussion and screening of Keeping the Faith with Morrie, the award-winning documentary short on Morrie Turner, "Wee Pals" creator and America's first nationally syndicated African American cartoonist.
On Thursday, March 26th, D.C.'s Busboys & Poets will be holding this event of fun, food, entertainment provided by Koli Tengella, a HBO comedian and performer. In addition, there will be a discussion with Angel Harper in the Langston Hughes room at Busboys & Poets, located at 2021 14th St NW. This is the first stop on a four city tour that will showcase Harper's work and will continue on to Baltimore and Philadelphia before culminating in New York City.
Keeping The Faith With Morrie, directed by Angel Harper and produced by Heaven Sent Productions, is a documentary which chronicles the incredible life journey of African American cartoonist Morrie Turner. Turner is the first American cartoonist to have a nationally syndicated multiethnic comic strip. Morrie, following his dream, overcame emotional hurdles, and societal road blocks to become an American pop culture icon and history maker. Turner's work "strove to create an animated world of acceptance and racial tolerance through the medium of comics," says Harper regarding the film's historical and cultural impact, and is worthy of recognition.
Angel Harper, in addition to founding Heaven Sent Productions, is an actress who has appeared in such notable films as Clara's Heart (with actress Whoopi Goldberg) and Kiss the Girls (alongside actor Morgan Freeman). She is an award-winning voice-over performer and a stand-up comedian who won an "America's Funniest People" award. With "Keeping the Faith with Morrie Turner," Harper hopes to showcase Turner's influential career, humanitarianism, and determination to improve race relations.
This special screening is an effort to raise finishing funds to complete the feature length documentary film. With proper funding, Harper and the Heaven Sent team hopes to create an inspiring film detailing Morrie Turner's life and contributions, but also hopes to raise awareness of the little-known history and impact of African-American comic strips and comic strip artists on American pop culture.
Heaven Sent Productions is a non-profit production company located in Los Angeles, CA and supported by user donations and a board of trustees. Heaven Sent Productions is lead by executive producer, actress, voice-over performer, and comedian Angel Harper. One of their latest projects is award-winning documentary "Keeping the Faith with Morrie" which is currently being promoted in order to increase its running time from 10 minutes to a 60-minute documentary.
SOURCE Heaven Sent Productions
Posted for Warren Bernard:
ReplyDeleteSigh, yet another article with erroneous information about comics history. I know that Morrie Turner did the first syndicated strip with continuing black characters that ran in white newspapers. But the article leads one to believe that he was the first syndicated African-American.
Well to those who believe that, E. Simms Campbell predated Turner with his "Cuties" by about 20 years. I also think Ollie Harrington was syndicated to the black newspapers in the 40's and 50's.
In addition, I am sure there were other syndicated cartoonists who were just in the black urban newspapers of the 20's-70's.
Again, I do not want to take anything away from Turner's strip or accomplishment, but there were others before him.
The scholarship on this topic is wanting, E Simms Campbell should have a full bio/retrospective done, as an example.