Joel Christian Gill (born 15 January 1975 in Roanoke, Virginia)[1] is an American cartoonist, educator, and author of a number of graphic novels from Fulcrum Publishing: Strange Fruit Vol I : Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History, Bass Reeves: Tales of the Talented Tenth No.1, and Bessie Stringfield: Tales of the Talented Tenth, No. 2, Strange Fruit Vol II: More Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History, a picture book "Fast Enough: Bessie Stringfield's First Ride" from Lion Forge and Fights: One Boys Triumph Over Violence[2] a memoir about how children deal with trauma and abuse from Oni Press. He has taught studio art, Illustration and comics while serving as Chair of the Comic Arts and Foundations programs at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. In the Fall of 2019 he accepted an appointment as Associate Professor of Illustration at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In 2020 he began work on an adaptation of Dr. Ibram X Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning a Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America for Ten Speed Press.
Owing to the success of his ongoing series of graphic novels highlighting little known and uncelebrated historical African-Americans and the contributions they made to American history, Gill is frequently profiled in print[4][5] and interviewed on television and radio.[6][7] He is also asked to speak at comic arts conventions and college campuses across the U.S.[8]
He has also contributed to the Huffington Post[9] advocating for the end to Black History Month and for the incorporation of the achievements of African-Americans into the larger narrative of American history. Gill is also a member of the Boston Comics Roundtable.[10]
Awards and honors
In 2016, Gill was honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award from Boston University.[11]
Awards for Gill's books
Year
Title
Award
Result
Ref.
2018
Bessie Stringfield: Tales of the Talented Tenth, No. 2
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