African American Photographers

• These notes cover several African American photographers and their work.

Florestine Perrault Collins

• Born in 1895 in New Orleans to formerly enslaved parents.
• Started her own business to support her family during the Great Depression.

Lorna Simpson

• Her works have been exhibited at MoMA, among other places.

Louis Draper

• Became interested in photography after his father gifted him a camera.
• His photography highlights the challenges of living in Black America.

Anthony Barboza

• Participated in the Kamoinge Workshop in the 1960s, which was known for capturing artists and musicians.
• Focused on providing often missed representation of the Black American community.

Micaiah Carter

• Primarily focuses on fashion photography.
• Often takes candid shots to avoid overly posed photographs.

Dana Scruggs

• Is active in the political and artistic spheres, promoting fair treatment for Black artists.
• She was the first Black photographer to shoot a Rolling Stone cover.
• Born and raised in Chicago.
• Her objective is to evoke emotions in viewers through her photographs.

Adger Cowans

• Has received several awards throughout his career.
• Concentrates on photographing musicians and other artists.

Carrie Mae Weems

• Known for her "Kitchen Table Series."
• Displays the life experiences of Black women.

Coreen Simpson

• Attracted to photographing people off the street to capture their raw energy.

P.H. Polk

• Born in Alabama in the 1800s.
• One of the earliest African American photographers.
• Opened his own studio.
• Documented historical events, including the Selma March.

Roy DeCarava

• Showed everyday aspects of life.
• Began taking photographs in the 1940s.
• Known for capturing candid, everyday moments.
• Frequently worked alongside Langston Hughes, a poet of the Harlem Renaissance.
• Born in 1919.
• Born and grew up in Harlem, New York.
• Gained popularity during the Harlem Renaissance.
• Aimed to increase the representation of Black people in art.
• Strived for accuracy and realism, opposing propagandistic depictions of Black Americans.
• The first Black photographer to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship.
• Passed away in 2009.
• Started his career photographing the jazz scene.

Moneta Sleet Jr.

• Born in 1926.
• Studied photojournalism at NYU.
• The first African American to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize.
• His work captured moments during the Civil Rights Movement.
• Photographed figures such as MLK and Coretta Scott Jr.
• Captured the resilience of the Black community.

Brief notes covering the work and lives of several African American photographers. Including Florestine Perrault Collins, Lorna Simpson, and Louis Draper. Also Anthony Barboza, Micaiah Carter, and Dana Scruggs.