NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jack Thornell, the former Associated Press photographer famous for capturing the haunting image of James Meredith after a shooting incident on a Mississippi highway in 1966, has passed away at the age of 86. His family confirmed that he died Thursday in a hospital in Metairie, Louisiana, due to complications related to kidney disease.
Thornell's career with the AP spanned from 1964 to 2004, during which he took on a variety of assignments that included photographing politicians, natural disasters, and crime scenes. However, his work was most profoundly influenced by the Civil Rights Movement, beginning with his first assignment that covered the integration of a school on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
In June 1966, Thornell, at just 26 years old, was sent to document a civil rights march led by Meredith, who was advocating for Black voter registration. Meredith was shot during the march, and Thornell's captivating image of Meredith on the ground, grimacing in pain while seemingly looking at his attacker, remains one of the most powerful reminders of the violent opposition faced by civil rights activists.
Thornell captured additional significant moments in the Civil Rights Movement, including the aftermath of the Ku Klux Klan's violent actions against civil rights workers in Mississippi. His persistence and courage led to images that not only documented history but also influenced public perception of racial violence and disenfranchisement in America.
Beyond his renowned photographs, Thornell documented the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march, where he captured images of Dr. King advocating for equality. His work often placed him in the midst of chaos and danger, but he viewed his career through a lens of essential duty: the fear of missing an important photograph loomed larger than that of physical harm.
A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Thornell's journey into photography was serendipitous—a military mix-up led him to pursue a career in capturing images that would tell poignant stories of struggle and resilience.
He leaves behind his son, Jay, daughter Candy Gros, and granddaughter, remembering him as a pioneer whose work contributed to the understanding of the Civil Rights Movement's complicated history.
Thornell's career with the AP spanned from 1964 to 2004, during which he took on a variety of assignments that included photographing politicians, natural disasters, and crime scenes. However, his work was most profoundly influenced by the Civil Rights Movement, beginning with his first assignment that covered the integration of a school on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
In June 1966, Thornell, at just 26 years old, was sent to document a civil rights march led by Meredith, who was advocating for Black voter registration. Meredith was shot during the march, and Thornell's captivating image of Meredith on the ground, grimacing in pain while seemingly looking at his attacker, remains one of the most powerful reminders of the violent opposition faced by civil rights activists.
Thornell captured additional significant moments in the Civil Rights Movement, including the aftermath of the Ku Klux Klan's violent actions against civil rights workers in Mississippi. His persistence and courage led to images that not only documented history but also influenced public perception of racial violence and disenfranchisement in America.
Beyond his renowned photographs, Thornell documented the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march, where he captured images of Dr. King advocating for equality. His work often placed him in the midst of chaos and danger, but he viewed his career through a lens of essential duty: the fear of missing an important photograph loomed larger than that of physical harm.
A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Thornell's journey into photography was serendipitous—a military mix-up led him to pursue a career in capturing images that would tell poignant stories of struggle and resilience.
He leaves behind his son, Jay, daughter Candy Gros, and granddaughter, remembering him as a pioneer whose work contributed to the understanding of the Civil Rights Movement's complicated history.
