Inside the Turbulent Life of the Artist Behind Krazy Kat

Image of a Krazy Kat cartoon by George Herriman

Michael Tisserand discusses his new biography of the legendary cartoonist George Herriman. His book, Krazy: George Herriman, a Life in Black and White looks at the life of the artist who created Krazy Kat, a comic strip that appeared in the biggest newspapers of the early 20th century, and elevated comics to an art. Tisserand also reveals that Herriman was actually African American, born to a prominent Creole family that hid its racial identity in the post-Civil War south.