Moneta Sleet Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Moneta John Sleet Jr.
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| Born |
Moneta John Sleet Jr.
February 14, 1926 Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S.
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| Died | September 30, 1996 (aged 70) Baldwin, New York, U.S.
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| Resting place | Calverton National Cemetery |
| Occupation | Press photographer |
| Years active | 1955–1996 |
| Known for | Photography |
Moneta J. Sleet Jr. (born February 14, 1926 – died September 30, 1996) was an American press photographer. He is famous for his work with Ebony magazine. In 1969, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography. This award was for his photo of Coretta Scott King, the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., at her husband's funeral.
Sleet was the first African-American man to win a Pulitzer Prize. He was also the first African American to win this award for journalism. He passed away from cancer in 1996 when he was 70 years old.
Contents
Moneta Sleet Jr.: Early Life and Education
Moneta Sleet Jr. was born in Owensboro, Kentucky. He was very involved in his school newspaper at Western High School. After high school, he went to Kentucky State College. This is now Kentucky State University, a historically black college. He graduated with honors in 1947.
He then earned a master's degree in journalism from New York University (NYU) in 1950. Sleet also studied at the School of Modern Photography. This helped him improve his photography skills. During this time, he served in an all-African American unit in World War II. He also worked as an assistant at a photo studio. After NYU, he worked as a sports journalist for the Amsterdam News. He also worked for Our World magazine.
Capturing History with Ebony Magazine
Moneta Sleet Jr. started working for Ebony magazine in 1955. He worked there for 41 years. During this time, he took pictures of many famous people. These included a young Muhammad Ali, Dizzy Gillespie, and Stevie Wonder. He also photographed world leaders like Haile Selassie and Jomo Kenyatta. He captured images of former ambassador Andrew Young and Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah. Liberia's William Tubman and singer Billie Holiday were also subjects of his lens.
Many civil rights leaders respected and liked him. They often asked for him by name. When Coretta Scott King learned that no African American photographers were assigned to her husband's funeral, she insisted. She demanded that Sleet be allowed to cover the service. If he wasn't, she threatened to stop all photographers from attending. Besides Coretta Scott King, he also photographed Betty Shabazz, the grieving wife of Malcolm X, at his funeral. A book of his photos was published after he passed away. It is called Special Moments in African-American History, 1955-1996.
Documenting the Civil Rights Movement
During his 41 years at Ebony, Sleet worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. for 13 years. He captured many important moments of the Civil Rights Movement. One famous photo shows Rosa Parks, MLK, Ralph Abernathy, Ralph Bunche, and Coretta Scott King leading marchers.
He also took pictures of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech. This speech happened at the Lincoln Memorial. Sleet also documented the Selma to Montgomery marches. He captured images from the Montgomery Bus Boycott. His photos helped show the world these key events.
Personal Life and Legacy
Moneta Sleet Jr. married Juanita in 1950. They had two sons and one daughter. His son, Gregory M. Sleet, became a judge. His other children are Lisa and Michael Sleet. Moneta Sleet was also a member of Sigma Pi Phi. This is the oldest African-American Greek-letter organization. Martin Luther King Jr. was also a member. Sleet was part of an overseas press club. This allowed him to photograph many international leaders.
Moneta Sleet Jr. lived in Baldwin, New York. He passed away from cancer at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center on September 30, 1996. His work continues to inspire.
See also
