Ahmed Samuel (Sam) Milai was born March 23, 1908 to Amohamed Milai and Sarrah (Sallie) Elizabeth Tibbs. Sam Milai started working at the Pittsburgh Courier in May 1937, joining Wilbert Holloway as a staff artist. Both artists contributed sports and editorial cartoons which were a feature of the paper. Milai throughout his career also drew cartoon strips, including "Bucky" and "Society Sue and Family." Milai illustrated the "You and Your History" series based on J. A. Rogers' research into black history. Milai also taught his craft, serving as a part time professor at Pittsburgh's Ivy School of Professional Art from 1964 to 1967. In 1968, Milai became a full time professor at the Pittsburgh Art Institute and served up until his death in 1970.
During his career, Milai received numerous awards and honors for his work. He was a winner of the National Newspaper Publishers Association's award for best editorial cartoon in 1952, 1953, 1956, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1968. He was also the recipient of the Pittsburgh Press Club's Golden Quill award. Milai was also honored by the requests for original cartoons by the likes of President Lyndon B. Johnson and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Sam Milai died on April 30, 1970.
From the guide to the Sam Milai Collection, 1931-2004, (The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum)
