Chester Higgins Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chester Higgins Jr.
Higgins in 1994
Born	1946 (age 78–79) Fairhope, Alabama, United States
Alma mater	Tuskegee Institute
Known for	Photography
Awards	International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum

Chester Higgins Jr. (born in November 1946) is a famous American photographer. He worked as a photographer for The New York Times newspaper for over 40 years. His pictures often show the lives and cultures of people of African descent.

Chester Higgins' photos have been in many popular magazines. These include Look, Life, Time, and Newsweek. He has also published several books filled with his amazing photographs. Some of his well-known books are Black Woman (1970) and Feeling the Spirit: Searching the World for the People of Africa (1994).

Life and Photography Journey

Chester Higgins Jr. was born in Fairhope, Alabama, and grew up in New Brockton. He went to Tuskegee Institute, which is now called Tuskegee University. There, he learned a lot from the school's official photographer, P. H. Polk. Higgins finished college in 1970 with a degree in business.

Working as a Photographer

Higgins started working as a photographer for The New York Times in 1975. His photographs have been shown in museums all around the world. A historian named Lonnie Bunch once said that Higgins "elevated photography from documentary to fine art." This means Higgins made his photos more than just records; he made them beautiful art.

His work is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art. His pictures have also appeared in many other books and magazines.

Travels and Inspiration

Chester Higgins has traveled to the continent of Africa about 50 times. His first trip was to Senegal in 1971. Lonnie Bunch noted that Higgins captures "an Africa that has a spirit of hope, of possibility." This spirit, Bunch believes, also helps shape the experience of African Americans.

An article in the New York Amsterdam News mentioned that Higgins' art shows his deep love for Black people. He hopes they will also have that same love for themselves. In a 2023 interview, Higgins explained his goal: "Essentially, validation is what I've always done with my camera." He started by loving his family, and that love grew to include all people who share his experiences.

Exploring Ancient Cultures

In his book Sacred Nile, Higgins tells a story about the beginnings of spirituality in Africa. He explores ancient lands along the River Nile. This journey goes from the mountains of Kush (now Ethiopia) through Nubia (Sudan) to the ancient land of Kemet (Egypt).

Chester Higgins' work is shown by the Bruce Silverstein Gallery in New York City. In 2022, he was honored by being added to the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum.

Selected Exhibitions

Chester Higgins' photographs have been featured in several important exhibitions:

• 2021: The Indelible Spirit, at Bruce Silverstein Gallery.
• 2022: Chester Higgins: Signature of the Spirit, at Shippensburg University.

Published Books

Chester Higgins has published many books of his photography and other works:

• Black Woman (1970): This book shows the universal experience of women and what it was like to be Black in the 1960s.
• Drums of Life (1974): This book explores the universal experience of men and what it was like to be Black in the 1970s.
• Some Time Ago (1980): A historical look at Black people in the United States between 1850 and 1950.
• Feeling The Spirit: Searching the World for the People of Africa (1994): This book explores the African Diaspora, which means people of African origin living around the world.
• Elder Grace: The Nobility of Aging (2000): This book celebrates the beauty and wisdom of older people.
• Echo of the Spirit: A Photographer’s Journey (2004): A collection of his photographs and reflections on his journey.
• Ancient Nubia: African Kingdoms on the Nile (2012): This book explores the ancient kingdoms along the Nile River.
• Sacred Nile (2021): This book continues his exploration of the spiritual history along the Nile.