Stephen Bentley began drawing cartoons as a youngster, because he wanted to become more popular with his classmates. He later studied art in college and realized that he could actually make a living doing what he loved. Today, newspapers across the U.S. run Herb & Jamaal, Bentley's popular cartoon strip.

Most comics of the 1930s portrayed African-Americans as uneducated servants. But Jackie Ormes drew her characters in a different light. She introduced Torchy Brown in 1937, and became the first black woman to create a black cartoon heroine.

Torchy Brown wasn't Ormes's only character. PattyJo, star of the Patty-Jo 'n' Ginger strip, is a smart young girl who lives with her older sister. Patty-Jo dolls, positive images for girls in the 1940s, quickly became popular toys. They're now collectibles, or valuable items.