NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jack Thornell, a former Associated Press photographer whose haunting image of James Meredith after he was shot became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement, died recently at the age of 86 due to complications from kidney disease. Thornell's career spanned from 1964 to 2004, a period marked by civil rights struggles, political upheaval, and natural disasters.
On his first day at the AP's New Orleans bureau, Thornell covered the integration of a school in Mississippi, setting the tone for his impactful career. In June 1966, he was assigned to photograph a civil rights march led by Meredith, who was encouraging Black residents to register and vote. It was during this event that Thornell captured the devastating moment Meredith was shot.
His most famous photograph portrays Meredith on the ground, bloodied and in pain, gazing toward his attacker hidden amongst the foliage. This moment provides a stark reminder of the violent backlash against desegregation efforts in the South. Thornell received the Pulitzer Prize for his work in 1967, an achievement that he almost feared he wouldn't achieve due to the race against competing photographers.
Thornell's arsenal of images also includes the burned-out station wagon of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, who were murdered in Mississippi. His photographs documented not only the reaction to violence but also the courage of individuals confronting oppression, including one shot of a Black man shielding his ears from a cherry bomb.
Throughout his career, he captured key figures in the Civil Rights Movement, including multiple photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., culminating in poignant images taken in the aftermath of King's assassination. Thornell’s legacy as a photographer stands as a testament to the power of photojournalism in documenting the fight for human rights.
Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Thornell’s journey into photography was unplanned; initially set to be a radio repairman in the Army, a mix-up led him to a photography course instead, which would change his life. His work, defined by its raw emotional weight and historical significance, serves as a vital chapter in the narrative of America’s struggle for equality. Thornell is survived by his son, daughter, and granddaughter.
On his first day at the AP's New Orleans bureau, Thornell covered the integration of a school in Mississippi, setting the tone for his impactful career. In June 1966, he was assigned to photograph a civil rights march led by Meredith, who was encouraging Black residents to register and vote. It was during this event that Thornell captured the devastating moment Meredith was shot.
His most famous photograph portrays Meredith on the ground, bloodied and in pain, gazing toward his attacker hidden amongst the foliage. This moment provides a stark reminder of the violent backlash against desegregation efforts in the South. Thornell received the Pulitzer Prize for his work in 1967, an achievement that he almost feared he wouldn't achieve due to the race against competing photographers.
Thornell's arsenal of images also includes the burned-out station wagon of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, who were murdered in Mississippi. His photographs documented not only the reaction to violence but also the courage of individuals confronting oppression, including one shot of a Black man shielding his ears from a cherry bomb.
Throughout his career, he captured key figures in the Civil Rights Movement, including multiple photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., culminating in poignant images taken in the aftermath of King's assassination. Thornell’s legacy as a photographer stands as a testament to the power of photojournalism in documenting the fight for human rights.
Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Thornell’s journey into photography was unplanned; initially set to be a radio repairman in the Army, a mix-up led him to a photography course instead, which would change his life. His work, defined by its raw emotional weight and historical significance, serves as a vital chapter in the narrative of America’s struggle for equality. Thornell is survived by his son, daughter, and granddaughter.
