The Innovation of Georg Olden

By Summer Risso

This booklet about Georg Olden was designed and produced by Summer Risso in the Fall of 2022 for DSGD 83 (Professor Ragouzeos) at San Jose State University. Front and back cover contains all original work by Summer Risso.

Sources for all graphics on interior pages are as follows: Page 1: http://todaysinspiration.blogspot.com/2010/10/art-for-tv-good-artand-selling-are-not.html http://celebrateblackdesigners.com/georg-olden

Page 2: https://revolutionoftheeye.umbc.edu/georg-olden-2/

Sources for all research on the life and significance of Georg Olden: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papersand-books/olden-george-1920-1975 https://www.typeroom.eu/georg-olden-10-things-to-know-about https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/olden-georg-1920-1975/ https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/the-black-experience/fightingfor-an-end-to-slavery https://readcereal.com/georg-olden/

Georg Olden was born on November 13, 1920, in Birmingham, Alabama. He died on January 25, 1975, due to being shot by his girlfriend at the time, Irene Mikolajczyk. He is an African American who studied graphic design at Virginia State College in 1937, but he then dropped out shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor to begin working on bigger graphic design projects at the Office of Strategic Services. He worked at many other companies as well, usually as the executive art director. He was employed at CBS, BBDO McCann-Erickson, and was even the official graphic designer for the U.N International Secretariat, selected by the Secretary of State at the time.

His most famous piece of work would be his stamp, as it made him the first black American to design a postage stamp, as well as the significant meaning for the stamp, as it had been made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. However, his career began to

fall as he had been layed off from McCann-Erickson in 1970 and lost a lawsuit against the company after claiming that this had been an act of discrimination in order to prevent him from moving to senior executive. He went on to work at Off-Track Betting Corporation, but days before his class-action lawsuit, his German girlfriend, Irene, had shot him fatally. Olden died with few left to his name, only his cartoons and some rejection slips for novels he had wanted to publsh.

The Web

July 11, 1950

This is a program title created by Olden while working at CBS for the TV series ‘The Web’. A dramatic anthology series that was also broadcasted by NBC and directed by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman.

Mama July 1, 1949

Olden created this program title while working for CBS. ‘Mama’, a comedy-drama that dealt with certain family members having problems and the rest of the family coming in with solutions.

Emancipation Stamp

August 16, 1963

Designed

was even revealed by JFK, who had praised it during a White House Ceremony. This also made him the first African American to create a

I’ve Got a Secret

June 19, 1952

Designed for the Tv Series ‘I’ve Got a Secret’ while Olden worked at CBS. This series is a panel game show that was a derivative of ‘What’s My Line?’

Studio One Summer Theater

November 7, 1948

Created by Olden while he was working for CBS, this is a program title for the TV Series, ‘Studio One Summer Theater’, an anthology series adapted from the radio series

What in The World October 7, 1951

This program title was made by Olden while he was working at CBS, for the game show, ‘What in The World’. Contestants were quized about archeology, fossils, and more.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents October 2,

1955

Olden created this program title for CBS. The show ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’ is an anthology series featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries, hosted by Hitchcock himself.

Suspense

January 6, 1949

Olden created this program title while working at CBS for the show ‘Suspense’, which is an anthology series that was adapted by a radio show, which ran by the same name. This was simply an adaptation of that.

Omnibus November 9, 1952

This is a program title made by Olden while still wokring for CBS. This series, ‘Omnibus’, is an educational variety series. The purpose of this was to increase the American public’s education level.

Behind The News

May 3, 1948

This program title was created by Olden for the new news show ‘Behind The News’. This happens to be CBS’s first ever newscast with a live newsman, Douglas Edwards.

Olden holds many achievements as a graphic designer and is often referred to as a “pioneer” for graphic designers and television graphics. He has been awarded seven Clio awards, the New York Art Directors Club medal, Cannes Film Festival, advertising prize, and more. He had helped open the doors of business to more people of color, and even slowly brought in more women into business as well as graphic art in television. He claimed that his lawsuit against McCann had not been only for himself, but for those who have also faced discrimination, leading his death to be even more tragic, as he was never able to finish his work. But he was also the first black American to complete many things in the graphic design community, such as, being one of the first to be employed in the newly evolving television industry.

One of his most famous achievements however, would

be the fact that he was the first African American to design a postage stamp, which helped shine light on the community and prove you didn’t have to be white to do so. He has helped the colored community a lot throughout his work, however, I do find it important to also mention how Olden had not talked much about racism, claiming that the color of his skin had never held him back, rather, it was his talent that had brought him to his success. So his stance on racism remains a bit confusing.

Book designed by Summer Risso, December 2022 for DSGD 83 at SJSU