Sam Milai
Ahmed Samuel Milai, better known as Sam Milai, was an African American editorial and comic strip cartoonist who drew for the Pittsburgh Courier.
From 1940–c. 1971, Milai illustrated Your History, written by Joel Augustus Rogers. Patterned after the look of Robert Ripleys popular Ripley's [Believe It or Not!|Believe It or Not] cartoons, multiple vignettes in each cartoon episode recounted short items about African Americans from Rogers' research. The feature began in the Pittsburgh Courier in November 1934, with art by George L. Lee. In 1940, the art chores were handed over to Milai, who stayed with the feature through the rest of its run. Two collections were published, Your History and Facts About The Negro.
Milai created Don Powers, an adventure strip distributed from August 19, 1950, to November 1, 1958, by the Smith-Mann Syndicate, about a superlative athlete. In addition, he created the strips Bucky and Society Sue.
Milai's 1960s political cartoons for the Pittsburgh Courier are curated at Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.
Milai was the Couriers editorial cartoonist for 33 years.