NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jack Thornell, a former Associated Press photographer whose Pulitzer Prize-winning image of a wounded James Meredith became a key symbol of the Civil Rights Movement, has died at 86 due to complications from kidney disease, as confirmed by his son on Friday.
Thornell, who worked for the AP from 1964 to 2004, covered various events from political rallies to natural disasters. However, his impactful coverage of racial justice issues marked the beginning of his career when he photographed the integration of a Mississippi Gulf Coast school on his first day with the AP in New Orleans.
In June 1966, a pivotal assignment led him to document a civil rights march led by Meredith, known for his historic integration of the University of Mississippi in 1962. Thornell and a rival photographer were capturing the moment alongside U.S. Highway 51 when gunfire erupted, and Thornell's lens captured Meredith's agonizing expression as he struggled for survival — an image that remains etched in history.
After initially fearing he might lose his job for missing the shot of the gunman, Thornell's fears were unfounded. Instead, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1967. Throughout his career, Thornell captured other significant events, such as the assassination of civil rights workers and the violence surrounding school integrations. He also photographed prominent figures like Martin Luther King Jr. during critical demonstrations.
Thornell's legacy extends beyond his photographs; he chronicled a transformative era in American history and expressed the pressure he felt as a photographer: The greatest fear for me was coming back without the photograph. That was your bread and butter.
Survived by his son Jay, daughter Candy Gros, and granddaughter, Jack Thornell's contributions to journalism and history will be remembered as profound.
Thornell, who worked for the AP from 1964 to 2004, covered various events from political rallies to natural disasters. However, his impactful coverage of racial justice issues marked the beginning of his career when he photographed the integration of a Mississippi Gulf Coast school on his first day with the AP in New Orleans.
In June 1966, a pivotal assignment led him to document a civil rights march led by Meredith, known for his historic integration of the University of Mississippi in 1962. Thornell and a rival photographer were capturing the moment alongside U.S. Highway 51 when gunfire erupted, and Thornell's lens captured Meredith's agonizing expression as he struggled for survival — an image that remains etched in history.
After initially fearing he might lose his job for missing the shot of the gunman, Thornell's fears were unfounded. Instead, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1967. Throughout his career, Thornell captured other significant events, such as the assassination of civil rights workers and the violence surrounding school integrations. He also photographed prominent figures like Martin Luther King Jr. during critical demonstrations.
Thornell's legacy extends beyond his photographs; he chronicled a transformative era in American history and expressed the pressure he felt as a photographer: The greatest fear for me was coming back without the photograph. That was your bread and butter.
Survived by his son Jay, daughter Candy Gros, and granddaughter, Jack Thornell's contributions to journalism and history will be remembered as profound.
