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Samuel R. Joyner Papers

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Held at: Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
967
Repository:
Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
Extent:
0.75 linear feet (3 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Samuel R. Joyner Papers, Acc. 967, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Date:
1947-2005 (inclusive) and circa 1990s (bulk)
Creator:
Joyner, Samuel R., 1924-
Form:
Cartoons (humorous images), Clippings, Drawings, Photographs, Photocopies, Posters, and Publications
Abstract:

Samuel R. Joyner is an African American cartoonist. Born in Philadelphia in 1924, he received early attention and publication credits in the Philadelphia Tribune. At the time, he was the paperboy for the newspaper when his drawings were recognized by publisher E. Washington Rhodes. Joyner enlisted in the United States Navy after graduating from high school during World War II. Upon his return to the United States, he enrolled into the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art (now University of the Arts) with the support of the G.I. Bill to enhance his skills to pursue a career as a commercial artist. He completed his studies, graduating in 1948.

His experience with racism and discrimination, primarily in the Navy, served as the backdrop for the kind of artwork he desired to produce. However, after graduating from college, he was unable to find employment. Eventually, he succeeded in selling his work to the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Pittsburgh Courier. Not until the publication of Color Magazine in the 1950s by a local Philadelphian businessman, I. J. K. "Alphabets" Wells, was Joyner able to use his skills in the service of African American social and political uplift as an art director.

In the 1960s, he opened and operated a print and graphics shop with his wife and four children. Joyner furthered his education by taking additional coursework at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and enrolling in the Teacher Certification program at Temple University. From 1974 until his retirement in 1990, he taught art classes and graphic communications at Rhodes Middle School (North Philadelphia) and Bok Technical High School (South Philadelphia). Joyner's career in the arts was widely celebrated by many from his entrepreneurial endeavors to education. He has more than 50 years in publishing with thousands of publication credits.

Over the years he would become a recognized "visual voice" for African Americans as represented in mass-circulated magazines and newspapers. His work has been published in over 40 different publications. He has received many awards and recognitions from Temple University, the National Newspapers Publishers Association, and the Houston Sun Times to name a few. In 2002 the Urban Archives at Temple University featured a showing of his work in an exhibit entitled "Exhibitions of Samuel Joyner: A Cartoonist."

The Samuel Joyner collection includes photographs, original art work and sketches (and photocopies), posters, signs, newspapers and clippings, newsletters, one book of African American illustrations, and ephemera. The majority of the material is dated in the 1990s.

The collection is arranged into 8 series as follows:

Series 1: Photographs, 1993-2000, undated
Series 2: Art Work, 1977-1994
Series 3: Prints, undated
Series 4: Posters, undated
Series 5: Signs, 1978, undated
Series 6: Sketches, 1988-2002, undated
Series 7: Publications, 1947-2005, undated
Series 8: Miscellaneous, 1984-2002, undated

Gift of Samuel R. Joyner in September 2002

The creation of the electronic guide for this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources' "Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives" Project. Finding aid prepared by Weckea D. Lilly. Finding aid entered into the Archivists' Toolkit in 2011 by Garrett Boos. Finding aid revised according to contemporary archival standards in May 2017 by Katy Rawdon, Coordinator of Technical Services.

People
Subject

Publisher
Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
Finding Aid Author
Machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan, Sky Global Services India (P) Ltd.
Finding Aid Date
May 2024
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

The Samuel R. Joyner Papers are the physical property of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Collection Inventory

Scope and Contents

Series 1 contains photographs depicting Samuel Joyner with his art work at various exhibits and events. Two of the photographs were taken at The Baltimore Museum of Art, two at the Annual Philadelphia International Art Expo, two with individuals affiliated with Temple University's Pan-African Community Education Program (i.e., Yumy Odom, former director), and the remaining pictures are copies of the photos used in The Philadelphia Tribune's article entitled "Drawing Pride: African-American illustrator and cartoonist Samuel Joyner reflects on his career of 'being invisible'."

Samuel Joyner at the March Texas Publishers Association Convention, 1993.
Box 1 Folder 1
Samuel Joyner at the Arts League Exhibit (Beat Editorial Cartoons), 1998.
Box 1 Folder 2
Samuel Joyner with Walt Carr at the Baltimore Art Museum Seminar, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 3
Samuel Joyner at the Philadelphia Tribune Building, undated.
Box 1 Folder 4
Unidentified Panelists at a Pan-African Studies Community Education event at Temple University, undated.
Box 1 Folder 5
Samuel Joyner and unidentified man at The Baltimore Museum of Art, undated.
Box 1 Folder 6
Samuel Joyner with Robert Jefferson at the Annual Philadelphia International Art Expo, undated.
Box 1 Folder 7
Samuel Joyner with Cal Massey at the Annual Philadelphia International Art Expo, undated.
Box 1 Folder 8
Samuel Joyner with Yumy Odom and two unidentified men at PASEP program at Temple University, undated.
Box 1 Folder 9
Six images of Samuel Joyner, unidentified locations, undated.
Box 1 Folder 10

Scope and Contents

Series 2 contains three images. The first item in the folder is a drawing of a man and woman holding hands surrounded by city buildings. Another is a water-color painting of a man and woman holding hands atop a hill surrounded by nature. The final piece of art in this series is a drawing (color markers) that depicts an African American woman and man singing and playing the guitar and is inscribed with "Celebrate Black Music."

Drawing of a man, woman, and urban landscape, 1977.
Box 1 Folder 11
Painting of a man and woman holding hands, 1985.
Box 1 Folder 11
Drawing, "Celebrate Black Art", 1994.
Box 1 Folder 11

Scope and Contents

Series 3 contains African American caricatures and are inscribed with bible scriptures — three are from the book of Psalms and one from St. Luke. The other print depicts a man and woman holding Christmas presents.

Psalm 24:1, undated.
Box 1 Folder 12
Psalm 122:1, undated.
Box 1 Folder 12
Psalm 136:1, undated.
Box 1 Folder 12
St. Luke 2:14, undated.
Box 1 Folder 12

Scope and Contents

Series 4 contains four posters representing four different organizations and/or themes: J. F. Street campaign flyer, the Tindley Temple Church Campaign Fund, the Betsy Ross House, and a promotional poster for the zoo.

The Betsy Ross House, undated.
Box 1 Folder 13
John F. Street, undated.
Box 1 Folder 13
Tindley Temple Church, undated.
Box 1 Folder 13
Visit the Zoo, undated.
Box 1 Folder 13

Scope and Contents

Series 5 contains a sign displaying an event for the Bok Tech School and two business signs for Mr. Strickler.

Bok Tech School, 1978.
Box 1 Folder 14
Mr. Strickler (Pink and Yellow), undated.
Box 1 Folder 14
Mr. Strickler (Orange and White), undated.
Box 1 Folder 14

Scope and Contents

Series 6 contains 37 original hand drawn and pasted sketches by Samuel Joyner. Also included here are 53 photocopies of the original sketches. These are the sketches that are also published in the magazines, newspapers, and clippings.

Original Sketch, "Drug Abuse Epidemic Hits U.S.A.", September 5, 1988.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Environmental Racism", June 15, 1995.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Police Corruption Scandal", August 19, 1995.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Gov. Ridge and PA GOP Attack Health Care Benefits for 260,000 Poor and Sick People", March 20, 1996.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Jackie Robinson", March 25, 1997.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Sky High Auto Insurance Rates on Inner City Drivers", April 22, 1997.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Paul Laurence Dunbar", June 3, 1997.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Maggie L. Walker", June 24, 1997.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Industrial Pollution", January 22, 1994.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Whatever Happened to the Apology and Reparations", August 21, 1997.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "St. Luke 2:14", November 23, 1991.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Equal Justice Under Law", March 9, 1998.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "What's the Big Hurry?", March 20, 1998.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "GOP Welfare Reform", April 4, 1998.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Barring Black citizens from jury duty in Philadelphia violates the U.S. Supreme Court rulings guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution", April 8, 1998.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "And the U.S.A. still pays some farmers millions of dollars not to grow food", May 2, 1998.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Ludicrous Opinion Poll Company", June 8, 1995.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Police Brutality", March 15, 1999.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Mary Ann Shadd Cary", June 24, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Jan Ernst Matzeliger", September 27, 2000.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Christopher James Perry, Sr.", January 20, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Patricia Roberts Harris", January 23, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "War on Drugs a Failure", March 19, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Mom, I could of bought a real good Nintendo Video game with all that money you spent just to buy food", August 24, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Matthew 24:7", October 4, 2001.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Millions Africans Homeless Because of Civil War", January 26, 2002.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Hunt for Bin Laden", February 2, 2002.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "My husband accused me of spending money we haven't earned, to buy items we don't need, to make an impression on people we don't like", February 28, 2002.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Taxes", March 22, 2002.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Preacher", April 22, 2002.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Two Women", March 2 [no year].
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Urban Archives Featuring Editorial Cartoons", undated.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Editorial Cartoons", undated.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Did you know that African Americans spend more than six hundred billion dollars every year on services and goods in these United States?", undated.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "The new lady employee is a very good worker…and I'm so glad she's not a clock-watcher", undated.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Thomas Andrew Dorsey", undated.
Box 1 Folder 15
Original Sketch, "Bible Characters", undated.
Box 1 Folder 15
Photocopied Sketches, undated.
Box 1 Folder 16

Scope and Contents

Series 7 includes four types of publications: a book, newspapers and clippings, newsletters, and magazines. The newsletters feature a sample of Joyner's cartoons with an accompanying blurb about his work and/or life experiences. The newspapers represent the few African American newspapers that were willing to publish Joyner's work. The bulk of the publications series is comprised of newspaper clippings that also feature the cartoons drawn by Samuel Joyner or articles written about him.

Book, George, Portia; Illustrated by Robert L. Jefferson (Autograph Copy) Gifts of our people: An alphabet of African-American history, 1995.
Box 2 Folder 1
Newsletter, Forum-The University of the Arts, 2001.
Box 2 Folder 2
Newsletter, Tindley Temple News, Winter 1992.
Box 2 Folder 2
Magazine, African American Magazine, 2001-2003.
Box 2 Folder 3
Physical Description

Volume IV, Numbers 5 and 6; Volume V, Number 1

Magazine, The Comics Journal #150, 1992.
Box 2 Folder 4
Magazine, The Messenger, May 2002-September 2003.
Box 2 Folder 5
Physical Description

Volume 2, Numbers 2-4, 6, 9, and 12; Volume 3, Numbers 3 and 13

Newspaper, The Buckeye Review, December 24, 1998-January 6, 1999.
Box 2 Folder 6
Newspaper, The Buckeye Review, May 27, 1998-June 2 1998.
Box 2 Folder 6
Newspaper, Incomplete The Buckeye Review, March 5, 2002.
Box 2 Folder 6
Newspaper, Incomplete The Dallas Post Tribune, May 16-22, 2002.
Box 2 Folder 7
Newspaper, Incomplete The Houston Sun, February 28, 1994.
Box 2 Folder 8
Newspaper, Incomplete The Milwaukee Times, August 24-30, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 9
Newspaper, Incomplete The Milwaukee Times, October 19-25, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 9
Newspaper, Incomplete The Milwaukee Times, October 19-25, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 9
Newspaper, Philadelphia Service Worker, May 2003.
Box 2 Folder 10
Newspaper, Incomplete The Philadelphia Tribune, March 24, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper, Incomplete The Philadelphia Tribune, September 22, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper, Incomplete The Philadelphia Tribune, October 24, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper, Incomplete The Philadelphia Tribune, October 24, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper, Incomplete The Philadelphia Tribune, November 7, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper, Incomplete The Philadelphia Tribune, March 20, 2001.
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper, The Philadelphia Tribune, September 13, 2002.
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper, Incomplete The Philadelphia Tribune, September 13, 2002.
Box 2 Folder 11
Newspaper, Incomplete, Take Pride! Community Weekly, September 22-28, 2003.
Box 2 Folder 12
Newspaper, Incomplete, Take Pride! Community Weekly, October 13-19, 2003.
Box 2 Folder 12
Newspaper, Incomplete, Take Pride! Community Weekly, November 10-16, 2003.
Box 2 Folder 12
Newspaper, Incomplete, Take Pride! Community Weekly, January 24-30, 2005.
Box 2 Folder 12
Newspaper, Incomplete, Take Pride! Community Weekly, March 7-13, 2005.
Box 2 Folder 12
Newspaper, Take Pride! Community Weekly, March 28-April 3, 2005.
Box 2 Folder 12
Newspaper clippings, June 8, 1947.
Box 2 Folder 13
Newspaper clippings, June 1951.
Box 2 Folder 14
Newspaper clippings, September 1, 1951.
Box 2 Folder 14
Newspaper clippings, December 13, 1953.
Box 2 Folder 14
Newspaper clippings, August 1956.
Box 2 Folder 14
Newspaper clippings, April 1957.
Box 2 Folder 14
Newspaper clippings, November 1, 1958.
Box 2 Folder 14
Newspaper clippings, March 25, 1976.
Box 2 Folder 15
Newspaper clippings, July 20, 1976.
Box 2 Folder 15
Newspaper clippings, July 1988.
Box 2 Folder 16
Newspaper clippings, August 31, 1988.
Box 2 Folder 16
Newspaper clippings, December 28, 1990.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, March 28, 1991.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, March 9, 1992.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, February 8, 1993.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, August 5, 1993.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, September 17, 1993.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, February 1, 1994.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, March 28, 1994.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, 1994.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, March 26, 1996.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, July 19, 1996.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, January 3, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, January 17, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, May 13, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, June 13, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, August 21-27, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, September 5, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, November 26-December 2, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, November 27-December 3, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, November 28, 1997.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, March 27, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, March 27, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, July 23-29, 1998.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, August 5-11, 1999.
Box 2 Folder 17
Newspaper clippings, January 27-February 2, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, February 15, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, July 12-18, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, October 26-November 1, 2000.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, June 6-13, 2001.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, July-August 2002.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, January 1-7, 2003.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, August 18-24, 2003.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, 2003.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, February 18-24, 2005.
Box 2 Folder 18
Newspaper clippings, February 13 [no year].
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, September 26 [no year].
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19
Newspaper clippings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 19

Scope and Contents

Series 8 includes a photocopies, letters, Joyner's resume, other personal materials, and material used in the Urban Archives exhibition in 2002.

Front Cover (Photocopy) Bulletin of Adult Education Activities, 1984-1985.
Box 3 Folder 1
Certificate, Houston Sun Excellence in Journalism Award, 1995.
Box 3 Folder 2
Correspondence – Odom, Yumy to Brethren (Samuel Joyner), May 26, 2002.
Box 3 Folder 3
Program, Urban Archive Samuel Joyner: a cartoonist, September 16, 2002.
Box 3 Folder 4
Urban Archives Material, "Exhibitions of Samuel Joyner: A Cartoonist", 2002.
Box 3 Folder 5
Urban Archives Material (rolled-up items), "Exhibitions of Samuel Joyner: A Cartoonist", 2002.
Box 3 Folder 6
Urban Archives Material, negatives for exhibit "Exhibitions of Samuel Joyner: A Cartoonist", 2002.
Box 3 Folder 7
Urban Archives Material, banner (ROLL), "Exhibitions of Samuel Joyner: A Cartoonist", 2002.
Box 3 Folder 8
Resume of Samuel Joyner.
Box 3 Folder 9
Calendar, The Houston Sun, May and June, no year.
Box 3 Folder 10
T-Shirt Design by Joyner, undated.
Box 3 Folder 11
Joyner's ink bottle and brush, undated.
Box 3 Folder 12

Print, Suggest