Memories of Black Milwaukee’s George ‘Buddy’ Sanders

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There was a time when black weekly newspapers were rare in this city. In the post-war 1940s, the weekly Milwaukee Globe —published by my late father Sanford Carter, Vincent Bevenue, Lawrence Saunders and John Williams—was one of the first.

Located on the south side of West Walnut Street near North Ninth, the Globe’s community leaders carried the ball. With the Chicago Bee—hawked up and down Walnut by Dan Travis, known as “The Bee Man”—they were the only black papers readily available. 

 In the late ’50s, The Milwaukee Recorder and Milwaukee Gazette briefly appeared. In 1957, Mattiebelle Woods, who published the short-lived weekly Recorder, gave me my first newspaper job as I majored in journalism at Marquette University.

In the early 1960s, The Milwaukee Star – touted as “The Voice of the Negro in Wisconsin—burst upon the scene and rapidly assumed the mantle of the best black weekly. One thing that made it so was the presence of creative graphics designer, satirical cartoonist and layout genius, George F. (Buddy) Sanders. 

I clearly recall the day in 1962 George—who on July 16 passed away at age 90—walked into The Star offices at 2334 N. Third Street—happily joining Jay Anderson (editor), Reuben Harpole (advertising manager) and myself (associate and sports editor), after he had just been hired by publisher Ken Coulter. 

Irascible Wit

And that’s when the real fun started for all of us—often led by fun-loving George, and his very welcome, irascible wit and opinionated personality. Included was our frequent visits to watch (free of charge) some of our favorite movies at the Century theater next door, and driving to Jake’s Deli at North 17th and West North Avenue for lunchtime kosher sandwiches. Occasionally, after work, we’d play pickup basketball at the St. Francis Church gym on North Fourth Street, between Reservoir and Brown.    

Among George’s notable achievements with The Star was designing a unique front page with a thick black border announcing the tragic, Nov. 22, 1963, assassination of President John F. Kennedy, with a haunting photo of the martyred President. We got word of the assassination in a phone call from Harpole’s wife, Mildred, who’d seen a television news bulletin. We had no TV in the office and were in total shock.

George also laid out our coverage—with a famous Bill Stitt photo—of The Star’s memorable January 1964 staff interview of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., at the downtown Schoeder Hotel.

Inner City Pictures

In addition, George designed our popular tavern section -- two full pages of on-scene photos of patrons I took Friday and Saturday nights at many of the black inner city’s crowded drinking establishments, such as The Savoy Lounge, 700 Tap and 711 on West Walnut Street.

Over the years, his other creative art-work originals included a large poster for my 1986 Marquette University By-Line Award at the Wisconsin Club downtown, also featured at an after-party at the home of my uncle, Calvin C. Moody, ex-police detective and first black Milwaukee County Supervisor. Also, a poster signed by many people at my 1987 Milwaukee Journal farewell party at the downtown Press Club prior to my leaving for the New York Daily News.   

In 1983 I arranged a job interview for George at Con Edison, in New York, where I was Director of Manhattan Public Affairs, and likewise in 1993 at New York University’s Stern School of Business, where I was Director of Communications and Public Affairs. Although neither job worked out for George, we had a great time doing the New York nightlife scene.

Partygoer, Party-Giver

 Always an enthusiastic party-giver, perhaps George’s most memorable—in September 1986—was a crowded picnic in Kern Park, across the street from his apartment building on North Humboldt Avenue.

Joining my wife, Janice and I in attendance, was Milwaukee Alderwoman Vel Phillips (wearing a tee-shirt emblazoned “Brown Sugar”); Lincoln High football legend Jake Beason; journalist Bill Kurtz and wife, Marge; Milwaukee Journal editorial page editor Dave Behrendt; activist John Givens and family; original black rhythm and blues historian Richard Berry, and my close pal, long-time New Yorker, Joe Dolan. 

Another was his November 1986 Star staff reunion at Jay’s Northridge Lakes apartment, which Harpole and I attended with our wives Mildred and Janice. And as dancing flowed to the sounds of original black R&B, so did the liquor, courtesy of George.

In June 1992, George and I collaborated on presenting a wildly successful downtown Varsity Theater “Father’s Day Eve” concert by the original Spaniels, of “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight” fame. This was preceded by an impromptu gathering of the group, their wives and local Spaniels’ fans, in the lobby of the Park East Hotel. The concert was followed by a wonderful after-party buffet we all attended at the Givens’ family home on  N. Grant Blvd. 

To hype the concert, the two of us appeared on a popular music program on WMSE radio the morning of the show and roamed inner city streets and shopping center parking lots that afternoon in a sound truck playing Spaniels’ records and inviting people to attend.

In 1994—years after Coulter’s original Star folded—George’s creative artwork again made its mark when he designed billboard displays, envelopes, stationery and business cards for WNOV radio’s popular, top-rated “Carter-McGee Report” that I co-hosted with Michael McGee Sr., controversial ex-Alderman. George often was an in-studio and telephone call guest. 

Strong Views

In recent years, George frequently expressed his strong views on current events via e-mail to a long list of confidantes and friends. Meanwhile, he and my wife, Susan Orr—former host of “Jazz in the Afternoon” on WYMS-FM—became fast friends as we shared some memorable restaurant meals and many home visits. 

In the late 1940s-early ‘50s, I got to know George and his late brother, Henderson, as we lived a block apart. We attended beautifully integrated Lincoln High School years apart, as did many prominent black kids, including the late Al Jarreau. This is where my mentor, the late Thomas M. Cheeks, was basketball and track coach, and its first black principal. 

After high school, George was drafted into the U.S. Army, served in combat as a tank machine gunner in the Korean War, in 1950-52, and earned citations for bravery.

Now, my long-time, great good friend George “Buddy” Sanders has left us. I learned the sad news in a phone call from one of his daughters, Jill, in San Diego, California.

George passed away in hospice care at the East Side home where he resided since 2017 with his long-time friend, Carol Hase. At this writing, funeral arrangements are pending.

   Thinking of George, as I often did over the years, I’d find myself recalling one of his favorite songs, a 1955 hit record by the Four Lads. To wit:

   “When other nights and other days may find us gone our separate ways, we will have these moments to remember.” Indeed.

   Rest in peace, Buddy. You now belong to the ages.

A memorial service with military honors is planned for Thursday, July 22, at Peace of Mind Funeral Home, 5325 W. Greenfield Ave. Visitation is from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.