PHS Art Students Study Cartooning Through the Work of Mel Tapley

The Peekskill chapter of the NAACP invited the Peekskill City School District to help take part in the centennial celebration of Peekskill’s own (late) Mel Tapley. On Friday, May 11, professional cartoonist Tim Jackson, alongside Mel Tapley’s daughter, Allison, worked with about 25 of Peekskill High School students who have shown an interest in cartooning, anime, comics and/or graphic novels.

PHS students had an opportunity to talk with Tapley and Jackson about the power of cartooning in today’s society, and the impact it can have on voicing a message. Artist Tim Jackson shared original cartoons by Mel Tapley with the students, and showed work of his own art as well, which was used in various newspapers.
Later in that afternoon, Mr. Jackson and Ms. Tapley went to Peekskill Middle School to present at Career Day in some of the art classrooms. Mr. Tim Jackson also donated several signed copies of his book, "Pioneering Cartoonists of Color" to the middle and high school.

In his time, Mel Tapley served as the Vice President of the Board of Education in the Peekskill City School District, as well as a professional artist and was an influential Peekskill leader.

"It was a great day honoring a man who supported our public school system and the arts in Peekskill, and connecting the past community members with our students," said PCSD Art Teacher Elizabeth Tabone.

PHS student work is on display alongside original Mel Tapley work at the Field library.

The Peekskill City School District would like to send a special thank you to the Peekskill chapter of the NAACP for collaborating this celebration, and to Allison Tapley, Tim Jackson. The District would also like to recognize the administration from the high school and middle school for providing this opportunity for Peekskill art students, and art teachers Elizabeth Tabone, Heather Brown, Patricia Roldan and Lindsay Brown for coordinating the project.