John G. Morris facts for kids

John Godfrey Morris was an American journalist, writer, and editor of photographs. He was a very important person in the history of photojournalism, which is telling stories with pictures. He was born on December 7, 1916, and lived to be 100 years old, passing away on July 28, 2017.

Growing Up

John G. Morris was born in Maple Shade, New Jersey. He grew up in the city of Chicago. His father, John Dale Morris, was a salesman and later started a book publishing company. His mother, Ina Arabella Godfrey, studied Greek and Latin and traveled in Europe. She worked for his father's company, where they met and married.

Starting His Career

At the University of Chicago, John G. Morris and his friends started a student newspaper called Pulse. They published it from 1937 until 1941, when America joined World War II. This newspaper was a bold way for them to begin their careers in journalism.

Morris described Pulse as a "radically different" college paper. Its news section was like Time, and it had a monthly survey like Fortune. It also featured "candid-camera" photos, similar to those in Life magazine. Many of his friends from Pulse went on to have successful careers in photography and journalism.

Working as a Photo Editor

After graduating in 1938, John G. Morris got a job at Time-Life publications. He soon became a correspondent for Life magazine in Hollywood. During World War II, he worked for Life as their picture editor in London.

In this role, he was in charge of the photos taken during the D-Day invasion of France on June 6, 1944. He edited the famous pictures taken by photographer Robert Capa during this historic event.

After the war, Morris continued to work as a picture editor. He worked for the U.S. magazine Ladies' Home Journal. He also became an executive editor at Magnum Photos, a famous photo agency. Later, he was an assistant managing editor for graphics at The Washington Post in the 1960s. From 1967 to 1973, he was the picture editor for The New York Times.

He continued his work during the Vietnam War. In 1983, Morris moved to Paris, France. There, he worked as the European correspondent for National Geographic. As a freelance writer and editor, he cared deeply about working for peace. He turned 100 years old in December 2016.

Personal Life

John G. Morris was married three times. He had four children from his first two marriages. He also had four grandchildren. He passed away on July 28, 2017, in Paris, at the age of 100.

Awards and Recognition

John G. Morris received many awards for his important work in photojournalism:

• 1971: Joseph A. Sprague Memorial Award from the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA).
• 1999: International Center of Photography (ICP) Writing Award for his book Get The Picture: A Personal History of Photojournalism.
• 2002: Professional Achievement Citation from the University of Chicago.
• 2003: Dr. Erich Salomon Prize, a lifetime achievement award for photojournalists.
• 2004: Bayeux-Calvados Awards for war correspondents.
• 2009: Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, a high award from France.
• 2010: International Center of Photography (ICP) Lifetime Achievement Award.

Films About John G. Morris

Several films and documentaries have been made about John G. Morris and his work:

• 1987: Unterwegs. Werner Bischof - Photograph 51/52.
• 1989: W. Eugene Smith - Photography Made Difficult.
• 1997: Decisive Moments - The Photographs That Made History.
• 2000: Chosen People.
• 2002: Guerre sans images - Algérie.
• 2004: Horst Faas, Heroes Never Die (Los héroes nunca mueren).
• 2004: Taking the Beach.
• 2005: Looking for an Icon.
• 2010: John G. Morris - Eleven Frames.
• 2012: Get the Picture. This was a biographical documentary where Morris himself told his story.