User:Frescadp/sandbox/Mildred R. Douglas

= Mildred R. Douglas (Morojo) = From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mildred R. Douglas (nickname Morojo, born Mildred....; 1904–1964 ) was one of the first women publicly active in the early days of science fiction fandom. She is known as the Mother of Cosplay for designing and making the first costumes worn to the science fiction convention, in 1939. She was also a fanzine editor and an early advocate of Esperanto in the science fiction community.

Contents

 * Cosplay and Zine Editing
 * Notes
 * References
 * External links

Cosplay
Morojo designed and made the first costumes at a con for herself and her boyfriend Forrest J Ackerman to wear in 1939 to the 1st World Science Fiction Convention (later known as Worldcon). boyfriend Forrest J. Ackerman. She based these twenty-fifth century “futuristicostumes” on the movie Things to Come (1936). Morojo’s long gown could be removed and converted into a cape, revealing satin shorts underneath. Ackerman wore a green satin cape over a shirt embroidered with his Esperanto nickname 4SJ.

This led to more fans donning costumes at future sci-fi cons, and Worldcon began holding costume contests. These events, called masquerades, became a feature of cons. The practice of dressing in costumes that became known as cosplay in the 1980s.

Zine Editing

Robert Lichtman

She was an active member of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society...

Morojo coedited with Forrest J Ackerman Voice of the Imagi-Nation (VoM) ––originally the lettercolumn of the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society official zine, IMAGINATION!–– throughout its fifty-issue run. Ackerman wrote in his memorial, "I Remember Morojo," that her devotion to stenciling and mimeographing each issue was crucial to its existence.

Esperanto

Myrtle Douglas was an Esperanto enthusiast, known as the "world language", and met Forrest J Ackerman at one of the meetings for fellow Esperanto speakers.

In a memorial zine after Douglas's death, "I Remember Morojo," Forrest J Ackerman wrote, "I remember Morojo as the greatest female fanne who ever lived." (According to Fancyclopedia, "fanne" is an obsolete term for a female fan, from the early days of sci-fi fandom. ) He said she was responsible for the existence of 50 issues of Imagination