If you have ever loved a comic strip, a cartoon, or any visual storytelling that mixes art with absurdity, you owe a debt to a man born in Treme in 1880. George Herriman created Krazy Kat, which critics consider the greatest comic strip ever drawn. He was also a Black Creole from New Orleans who passed as white for his entire career.
Born in Treme, Raised in Secrecy
George Herriman was born August 22, 1880, in Treme. His family was part of New Orleans' Free People of Color community. His birth certificate listed his race as "colored." In 1890, the family moved to Los Angeles and began passing as white as Louisiana tightened its racial codes.
Krazy Kat: A Strip Like No Other
Krazy Kat debuted in 1913. Krazy loved Ignatz Mouse, who threw bricks at Krazy's head. Offissa Pupp tried to jail Ignatz. Krazy interpreted every brick as a love letter. The strip influenced Picasso, de Kooning, and Kerouac. Its dialogue echoed New Orleans Creole patois.
Hidden Heritage
Herriman wore a hat constantly to hide his hair texture. He never discussed his origins. New Orleans became a secret. His racial identity wasn't widely known until researchers found his birth certificate decades after his death in 1944.
Dirty Coast Connection
Our Congo Square design honors where New Orleans' Creole heritage found its voice. Nola Gothic captures the city's layered identity. Be A New Orleanian Wherever You Are: Herriman lived that, whether he could say it or not.
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