Cartoonist Morris Turner dies at 90

Cartoonist Morris Turner has died at the age of 90. The illustrator, also known as Morrie Turner, passed away peacefully at a hospital in Sacramento, California on Saturday (25Jan14).
He began his career during World War II, when he had his early works published in America’s Stars and Stripes military news publication, and went on to create his own comic strip, Wee Pals, at the encouragement of his mentor, Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz.
The ethnically-diverse cartoon about a group of buddies became a big hit in the late 1960s and made Turner the first African American artist to be syndicated nationally. His work was also known for recognising prominent figures in black history.
Turner was honoured for his work in 2000, when officials at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco presented him with the Sparky Award, named in memory of the late Schulz. He also received the Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Cartoonist Society in 2003 and was most recently presented with the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award for his charity work at the San Diego Comic-Con event in 2012.