Page "National Cartoonists Society" Paragraph 11

Despite the contributions of Duffy and Mendez, there were no female members, as stipulated in the NCS ' constitution which specified that “ any cartoonist ( male ) who signs his name to his published work ” could apply for membership.

In 1949, Hilda Terry wrote a letter challenging that rule, and after more than six months of debates and votes, three women were finally admitted for membership in 1950 — Terry, Edwina Dumm and gag cartoonist Barbara Shermund.