Through the Eye of a Photographer

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By Eliz Dowdy

Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter recently held the third annual Black History Month celebration. The 2010 recognition of those serving in the communities of color was focused on photographers. Called the unsung heroes, the silent bunch who can tiptoe right up to the podium and do their trademark “click click” camera lens immortalizing the moment in a freeze frame.

Carter brought them out of the shadows and into the limelight as they were on the receiving end of camera clicks; she honored nine active, one retired, two deceased and two student photographers who have captured the residents of the Inland Empire and beyond in their joys, and in their sorrows. These photographers have been the eyes of the communities, sometimes capturing abusive situations, encounters with law enforcement, and other images that occur in a day’s work of preserving the community’s face.

One has traveled with the Jackson Five during their concerts, one has published a newspaper, another was hired by the Democratic National Committee to capture images, another has seen some of his photographs appear in Jet Magazine. They have captured celebrities, sports legends and the people in the neighborhood who would remain nameless, except for the photographers. Each photographer had created a static display that was representative of the years spent photographing images. For most, what started as a hobby mushroomed into a part-time position with one of the Black newspapers in the area, others free lance and at least one individual is currently with a daily newspaper. They work parties, weddings, graduations, anniversaries, church events and just about anything in between those categories. Their bios were read by the children who may one day be their replacements.

Last week it was the communities they have served that came to pay homage to the unsung heroes. The Photogs-HooksCarter0225 program was opened by Assembly Member Carter who welcomed the assemblage, and introduced Fifth District Supervisor Josie Gonzales. The Supervisor shared the significance of the occasion, and it was time for the master of ceremonies to launch the evening’s program. That role went to Hardy Brown II, he brought the JR ROTC Honor Guard from Wilmer Amina Carter High School forward to post Colors and lead the Pledge of Allegiance. The Black National Anthem was sung by Chandler Curley.

Attendees then viewed a slide show of the honorees, depicting different phases in their lives. That prelude led to the introduction of the honorees; they were: Van Howard, Cheryl Brown, Lafonzo Carter, John Coleman, Dr. E.C. Dowdy, Walter Hawkins, Sam James, Richard Gardenhire, and William Wilson Lewis III. Student photographers were Tanesha Mickey, and Chris Sanchez.

The godfather of Inland Empire black photographers, Henry Hooks, is retired now, but he captured the faces of our communities when no one else was there; we all learned from his smoothness, his expertise and his affable manner. The sons of Harry Carson and Richard Cole accepted their posthumous honors.

The Black History events hosted by Assembly Member Carter are growing each year, and this year’s event exceeded the attendance of the previous ones. We collectively thank the Assembly Member for selecting the image makers of the Inland Empire as her honorees for 2010.

Written by: Precinct Reporter Group Sunday, 28 February 2010 02:28