Cartoonist Chester Commodore shed light on many sides of African American life. His work addressed the hum-drum and the historic with grace, class, and razor-sharp wit. Over the years, Commodore won numerous awards, and he was nominated for 12 Pulitzer Prizes for his work with the Chicago Defender. This Saturday, an exhibition showcasing Commodore's work and life will open at the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library on S. Halsted in Chicago. Eight Forty-Eight's Richard Steele previewed the show with curator Michael Fluge Fluge says Commodore wanted to break free of the racist way African Americans were drawn in the white press.
A free program and reception on Saturday will feature art and history professors, a cartoonist, and a relative of Commodore.