Matthew Lewis (photographer)
American photographer (1930–2024)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Matthew Lewis (March 8, 1930 – October 2, 2024) was an American photojournalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for his 1975 work with The Washington Post.[1]
Matthew Lewis | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 8, 1930 McDonald, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | October 2, 2024 (aged 94) |
| Alma mater | Howard University University of Pittsburgh |
| Occupation | Photojournalist |
| Awards | Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography (1975) |
Life and career
Lewis was born in McDonald, Pennsylvania, on March 8, 1930.[2][3][4] He later moved to Washington, D.C. in 1947. He attended college at Howard University in 1947 for a year and then continued at the University of Pittsburgh the next year before he dropped out. From 1949 to 1952, Lewis served as a hospital corpsman for the United States Navy.[3] Lewis received his first job at Morgan State University where he worked in the audio visual department. Lewis freelanced for the Baltimore Afro-American before getting a job with The Washington Post in 1965 as a staff photographer. He was eventually promoted to assistant managing editor of photography[5][6] where he covered Civil Rights marches, Super Bowls, and John F. Kennedy's funeral. He was the first African-American photographer to work for The Washington Post.[7]
Lewis retired in 1990,[5] and moved with his wife Jeannine to Thomasville, North Carolina. He began working at the Thomasville Times in 1990 to keep himself occupied.[5]
Lewis died on October 2, 2024, at the age of 94.[8]
Awards
In 1975, Lewis was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography "for his photographs in color and black and white." These photos portrayed various aspects of "the Washington lifestyle."[9] Lewis won first place in the White House News Photographers Association competitions in 1968 and 1971[10] In 2010, the International Civil Rights Center & Museum honored Lewis during a special tribute and public reception.[11]
