Jerry Craft is the creator of Mama's Boyz, a comic strip that has been syndicated by King Features since 1995. He is also the artist / writer of "Mama's Boyz: Home Schoolin" a brand new 112-page collection of his award-winning comic strip. The book, which is scheduled for a fall 2007 launch, features individual comics strips, stories, and even a section on how he draws one of his characters and creates his strip. The book is aimed at getting kids and young adults to focus on the positive aspects of African-American life and has already been endorsed by Teachers Against Prejudice!
His first book, Mama's Boyz: As American
as Sweet Potato Pie! was named in "Great Books For African-American
Children. In addition, the Mama's Boyz characters have acted as national
spokes characters for the
American Diabetes
Association's African-American Program (which earned Craft
two Outstanding Supporter Awards for his work during National Diabetes
month). In June of 2007, he received a 'Conversation Starter' award from
the DC Campaign to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy.
The Mama's Boyz characters have also been used to spread the word for several other organizations such as The Coalition on Donation's 'Donate Life' program and are now being worked into a campaign for the American Council for Fitness and Nutrition as a way to combat obesity in our young people.
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Jerry Craft is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts where he received his BFA degree in advertising. After working in the ad world for a dozen years as a copywriter, he got his first job as a cartoonist working with Barbara Slate on a variety of comic books for Marvel and Harvey Comics. Next, he worked at King Features Syndicate where he wrote sales brochures for some of the world's most popular comic strips.
He followed that with eight years at Sports Illustrated For Kids where he started as a web producer and ended as its Editorial Director. While there he created and executed the popular SI KIDS TV segment which consisted of several Flash animated TV commercial spoofs such as the 'Randy Moss Driving School' (still available on YouTube).
In the spring of 2001, he was nominated by the National Cartoonists Society for an award in their New Media Division. He also hosted a daily online sports radio show for kids (interviewing athletes such as Derek Jeter and Dontrelle Willis) and did a weekly guest spot on Radio KOL.
In October of 2006, Craft left his job as Editorial Director for in order to pursue his passion for drawing full time under his own company, Mama's Boyz, Inc.
Jerry has been nominated for a Glyph Award for Outstanding Achievement in Black Comics and is the recipient of an African American Literary Awards Open Book Award for best comic strip, beating out both Curtis and Boondocks.
He has drawn greeting cards, board games, book covers and illustrations for publications such as Essence Magazine to name a few, and is currently working on his first children's book for a publisher on the East coast.
Jerry has appeared on WCBs' Sunday Morning show with Mario Bosquez as well as cable news shows such as Cablevision News 12's Our Lives with Janus Adams, and in publications like the Stamford Advocate, Cartoonists Profiles magazine, and the Onion to name a few. Radio interviews include stations like WNYC, WBAI and WLIB radio in New York.
Who
Would Have Thunk It! The First Adventures of the Fraser Foster Kids
by George C. Fraser and Emma Fraser-Pendleton, Illustrated by Jerry Craft
FraserNet Publishing Group
Hardcover, $14.95
96 pages, Illustrated
IISBN: 978-0-9856218-3
“Our story began a very long time ago when we were little kids with no place to live. Our mother got sick and our father had to give us up, so we were put into a shelter—and then foster homes. We were in foster homes for 13 years! It was very hard, but we made it…
Some people think foster families are these amazing folks who just want to help needy children… But those weren’t the ones we ever got… It made us wonder why people who didn’t even like kids took us in.
It wasn’t until later that we realized it was about money. You see, the city gave families a monthly check for every child they took in…
The lessons we learned from our time as foster kids have helped us to grow up and be good human beings, and that is why we can now share our story. There are simple lessons, and we have tired to live our lives based on them: Never lose hope… Rejection prepares you for perfection… Never lose your faith…
It worked for us.”
—Excerpted from the Foreword (pgs. 4-5)
KKhalil’s
Way
Order via Amazon.com
by David Miller, Illustrated by Jerry
Craft
Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: Urban Leadership Institute; 1ST edition (2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615597068
ISBN-13: 978-0615597065
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches
An exciting illustrated children's novel by author David Miller highlights the journey of Khalil Joseph an 11 year old boy growing up in a tough New Orleans community after Hurricane Katrina. Khalil's journey shows how a young boy who is gifted in math and chess but struggles with being diagnosed ADHD, asthma, numerous food allergies and growing up with a single mother struggle to deal with being bullied every day in school. Khalil's Way is funny yet serious journey that encourages children to make making healthy decisions. Khalil like so many children is bullied every day in school. When you finish reading Khalil's Way, you may be surprised at how the skinny kid with glasses was able to win over his bully, and deal with his own disappointment of growing up without his father. Khalil's Way is illustrated by award winning artist Jerry Craft.
Please
Don't Yell at We
I
Used To Love Her: How The Commercialization Of Rap Music Has
Destroyed Black America
Edited By: Ryan C. Greene, Illustrator: Jerry Craft
Coming Soon
Synopsis: This book is an open letter to the emcee and the entire
hip-hop community to take inventory on the destruction that has been
sewn into our community. What once started as a positive culture of
musical poets that embraced education, creativity, and empowerment
of our race has evolved into a money making machine that promotes
sex, drugs and getting rich by any means necessary. The true emcee
has become a dying breed that has been forced into obscurity by
large conglomerates that now run hip hop.
"I USED TO LOVE HER" will be a collection of commentaries and
writings from people from all walks of life discussing the effects
of commercialized rap music on different aspects of black culture.
Looking To
The Clouds For Daddy
Click to order via
Amazon
by Margo Candelario; Illustrator: Jerry Craft
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Karen Hunter Media; First edition (February 17, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0982022174
ISBN-13: 978-0982022177
Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
This story is inspired by three little girls who lost their daddy unexpectedly. As they talk about their memories of their father, they discover that he is always with them in different ways. They can even see him in the clouds!
Hillary's
Big Business Adventure
Click to order via
Amazon
by Lori Nelson (Author), Jerry Craft (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Nelson Publishing, LLC (January 23, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979417104
ISBN-13: 978-0979417108
Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
Hillary is a 5th-grader from Baltimore, Maryland who lives with
her mother, father and younger brother Chef. Her best friend Zoe,
along with Chef's best friend, Tek make up this lively foursome.
While each of the children have something special that they bring to
the group; Chef's interest in the culinary arts, Zoe's love for
theater and dance, and Tek's need for high tech gadgets, it is
Hillary's talent for all things entrepreneurial that steals the show
in this first book. The first of this series highlights a young
girl's ability to create a business opportunity that enables her to
earn the funds she needs to purchase a new bicycle. Her spunky
attitude and great determination leaves the young reader excited to
see what Hillary and her crew come up with next, and if they achieve
their goal. At the end of the story, there is a lessons learned
section, which features new vocabulary terms and a fun team project
for children to work on with their parents, or at school with their
teachers.
Contact Information
Jerry Craft
PMB# 114, 304 Main Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06851
www.mamasboyz.com
jerrycraft@aol.com
OBAMA and HILLARY
Running mates or adversaries?
Originally seen in Essence Magazine.
