When I was in 4th grade, in 1963, our next door neighbor, gave me her children's old issues of Treasure Chest magazine, a Catholic comic book. I loved to read and these mags were pretty good. There were stories about saints and artists (I especially loved the story about Michelangelo), and a serial story at the end of each magazine about a man named Tim Pettigrew who was running for president in 1976. Tim was always drawn in silhouette, so readers never saw his features. In the last installment of the series, Tim wins the election, and readers get a chance to see what Tim really looks like : a slender, light skinned black man with short hair. He resembled Barack Obama.
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Hi.
I just completed a search through Google and ended up here because I have the same memory and experience.
THat we have the same last name just makes it flat-dab spooky.
I used to eagerly look forward to getting each issue hoping to find out whom this person was.
Part of my recollection is that the campaign was not easy and there was a point at which he might have lost altogether.
But it was pointed out that there was an atmosphere of change so strong but that the candidate himself was change and so was able to sweep to the nomination.
Again Prophetic.
I think of this comic and it's profoundly prophetic nature every time I see Obama.
Other similarities was that he was from mid-country, like chicago, and that his biggest challenge was developing a platform though, as the serial was written through two young folk's eyes, he was a man of high ideal and of such personal integrity that it was represented that he was champion of the people and that might have to be enough.
As i recall, they ended at the
nomination.
He seemed to be like the president who had just died, Kennedy, and so it's seems again prophetic that Obama has been embraced by JFK's brother just today.
Thanks Brenda for posting this. From one parochial school veteran to another, you are not just fantasizing.
I'm seeking them out if they still exist.
BTW these comics were done by a well known artist named Joe Sinnott. If I find them, I'll let you know!
Jessica McDonald
jessica@pesfilmtv.com
Thanks, Jessica. You remember it much more clearly than I do. I would love to read this story again. Brenda
P.S. - I'm so glad you found this post and commented on it - I had searched the web for anything about the Tim Pettigrew story and Treasure Chest magazines and couldn't find anything (except one aside about Treasure Chest, not very informative). I was beginning to feel very alone, I figured lots of boomers must have read the story and remembered it. Considering the time we grew up in, the violence and civil unrest, I think the story was an important one, and as you say, prophetic. Thanks again.
Oh my goodness, then you haven't seen this!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-CA8MweR89M&feature=related
(I hope that hyperlinks)
Or go to Youtube and look for "Pettigrew"
You are very welcome.
The comic books are out there.
THere is even a book by Joe Sinnott's sone where there is a brief reference to where he did this particular series.
"You Are NOT alone."
FYI: I am a real person,
I live in LA and you can some
of my film work credits at
http://www.imdb.com
If/when I find them, I will forward to you.:-))
Thank you! I was so happy to view the story again on youtube. What a time trip. What a good story it was. I love the moral/caution at the end - how will the children of 1964 vote in 1976? As a kid, it really made me think seriously about citizenship and what kind of power I had. (And don't you love that the women of 1976 are all dressed like the mom in "Father Knows Best"?) Thanks, thanks, thanks.
I was given a copy of this by the nuns in my grade school in Minot, North Dakota, not long after John Kennedy was murdered. It seemed to resurface around my parents home from time to time after that until the late 90's and it is probably in storage somewhere now. I remember being very moved by the story and when this election started heating up, I mentioned it to my friends. No one else had heard of it, and I thought maybe it was something i imagined. I've since seen a YouTube video about the comic book as well as an NPR story (if you google "Tim Pettigrew" it comes up as about the 3rd hit). I'd sure like to read it again.. Thanks for the reassurance that this is not my imagination.
Praise the Lord, I thought I'd imagined that entire story line! It's been on my mind since Jessie Jackson was campaigning and no one I knew had ever heard of Treasure Chest, let alone a story about an African-American president-elect.
There is a website that has Treasure Chest digitized but unfortunately 1962-'63 is the last year in that format.
http://libraries.cua.edu/achrcua/TreasureChest.html#series1
We used to get that magazine/comic book in my school. I remembered the name of the story but I couldn't remember the name of the magazine. I googled "Pettigrew for President" just now and found your blog and a whole bunch of other mentions as well. I think the story impressed me very much at the time. I would have been ten or 11 at the time, at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Pembroke, Ontario. Isn't it interesting what we remember? These are the things that shape our lives. I'm thrilled for the USA.
I'm thrilled too! I'm watching the inaugural ceremonies right now.
I'm filled with joy and hope.
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