[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2762]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING MORRIS TURNER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 10, 2014

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
extraordinary life of Morris ``Morrie'' Turner, former cartoonist for 
the Oakland Tribune. Known throughout the Bay Area and the Nation by 
his cartoon strip ``Wee Pals,'' Mr. Turner has left an indelible mark 
on our national discourse. With his passing on January 25, 2014, we 
look to the outstanding quality of his life's work and the inspiring 
role he played in breaking racial barriers as the first nationally 
syndicated African American cartoonist.
  Born on December 11, 1923 Morrie Turner was born and raised in 
Oakland. His passion for drawing began as a young child. After 
graduating from Berkeley High School, Mr. Turner served in World War II 
as a mechanic for the Tuskegee Airmen. During this time, he drew comic 
strips for military newspapers. Once returning back to the Bay Area, he 
worked as a clerk for the Oakland Police Department while freelancing 
cartoons to newspapers and magazines. In 1964, Mr. Turner's drive and 
admiration for cartooning inspired him to create cartoons full time.
  During the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Morrie Turner 
realized that African American kids rarely appeared in cartoons. 
Inspired by Charles Schulz's ``Peanuts'' cartoon, Mr. Turner began 
creating a comic strip featuring kids from all backgrounds called ``Wee 
Pals.'' In the beginning, only a few papers would run the strip. After 
the tragic event of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination in 1968, 
``Wee Pals'' achieved national recognition, appearing in more than 100 
newspapers.
  Morrie Turner's ``Wee Pals'' covered issues of racism, sexism and 
bullying. His hope was ``to portray a world without prejudice, a world 
in which people's differences--race, religion gender and physical and 
mental ability--are cherished not scorned.'' There was a wide range of 
characters, encompassing many different ethnicities. The success of the 
comic strip inspired an animated television show called ``Kid Power.'' 
As he continued to produce comic strips, Mr. Turner wrote and 
illustrated children's books.
  Renowned for his cartoons and children's books, Mr. Turner received 
numerous awards. Among the many prestigious awards, he received the 
Sparky Award from San Francisco's Cartoon Art Museum, the Anti-
Defamation League's humanitarian award, the Boys and Girls Club Image 
Award and the California Educators Award. During the Vietnam War, Mr. 
Turner had the honor as one of six cartoonists with the National 
Cartoonist Society to travel to Vietnam and draw more than 3,000 
caricatures of the service people on the frontlines and in hospitals.
  Morrie Turner left an imprint on many generations by addressing these 
important topics still facing our Nation. He found a creative way to 
educate children and reach out to approximately 25 million readers with 
his ``Wee Pals'' cartoon. In addition, he was actively involved in 
educational programs and charities in the Bay Area.
  On several occasions I was humbled to be one of Morrie's caricatures 
in his very creative, educational and funny cartoons. When I met him, I 
knew I was in the presence of not only a brilliant intellect but a 
soaring spirit. It was an honor and a privilege to have been in his 
presence on many occasions.
  Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors an 
outstanding individual and cartoonist, Morris Turner. As an Oakland 
native, Mr. Turner's efforts have truly paved the way for minorities 
and impacted so many lives throughout the Nation. I join all of 
Morrie's loved ones in celebrating his incredible life. He will be 
deeply missed.

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