Hello! I run a site called the Golden Dames Project. We present complete (and public domain) comic stories featuring empowered female characters or from female creators with commentary.
High on my list of characters/creators I want to spotlight is Torchy Brown. Torchy Brown is probably the first African-American, female lead of a comic strip and was created by Jackie Ormes who was either the first female African-American comic creator or one of the first. Torchy Brown appeared in two comic strips. The first, Torchy Brown in From Dixie to Harlem ran in the Pittsburgh Courier from 1937-1938 and tells the tale of a young woman moving from the south to the north to perform at the Cotton Club. The second was Torchy in Heartbeats which ran from 1950 to 1954.
My research suggests the first comic, From Dixie to Harlem, is in the public domain. I'd very much like to spotlight it but am having a devil of a time finding more than a handful of strips out there. I was hoping someone on this forum might be able to help me. Torchy Brown and Ms. Ormes occupy an amazing and important place in comic history and they deserve to be spotlighted.
Thanks!