For other people named Clarence Williams, see Clarence Williams (disambiguation).

Clarence Williams
BornJanuary 27th, 1967
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
OccupationPhotographer

Clarence Williams, an American photojournalist, won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography in 1998 for his work at the Los Angeles Times. [1]

Biography & Career

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Williams was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] He attended school there until he was accepted into Temple University. He received a bachelors degree in mass communication in 1993. While studying at Temple he worked with Ed Trayes, who Williams said was one of his greatest mentors. Also while in college he interned for the Philadelphia Tribune, where he worked and specialized in photojournalism.[1]

Career

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After graduating from school, Williams received a job as a staff photographer for Times Community newspapers which is located in Virginia. He worked there for a year before moving to Los Angeles in 1994. He was a trainee and participated in the METPRO program, which promotes diversity in the newsroom. After completing this program, he was offered a permanent position at The Los Angeles Times in 1995, and then was promoted to staff photographer in 1996 where he stayed until 2003, leaving the Times.[1]

Williams traveled the world taking photos, most known for his documentation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and also Angola, a country in Africa which also suffered from the devastation of war. [1]

However, most notably Williams is known for his project "Orphans of Addiction" which showcased stories of children who were being raised by heroin addicted parents. This project won Williams a Pulitzer Prize[2].[3]

In 2005 Williams was visiting family when Hurricane Katrina hit and devastated New Orleans.Williams along with other members of his family were trapped in an attic for three days until rescued. Williams took photos and kept a journal while in New Orleans, recording all the distress and chaos the city was in. These photos were published in the Miami Herald in weeks following the hurricane.[1]

Williams was so moved by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina that he relocated from Los Angeles to New Orleans. There he obtained a grant from the Open Society Institute and began this project that showed the real devastation, and the rebuilding after Katrina. Williams named this project Another Black Blues Story.[1][4]

Currently Williams is a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, and also involved in the Iris Photo Collective, which he formed with other photographers.[5]

Awards

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In 1998 Williams won the Pulitzer Prize for feature photography.[5][3] His project "Orphans of Addiction" showcased children who's parents struggled with drug and alcohol abuse along with how it impacted the children's lives.[5][3]

In 1998 was awarded by National Association of Black Journalists' Journalist of the Year.[5][6]

Won Picture of the Year Contest in in 1996 for pictures he took in the Los Angeles County Jail[7]

Books & Exhibitions

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"Drown the Devil" is a book of black and white photography along with poems by Ursula Rucker that portrays the devastation after Hurricane Katrina.[8]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Clarence Williams Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Clarence Williams". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
  2. ^ "Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography". Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
  3. ^ a b c "1998 Pulitzer - Feature Photography". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  4. ^ "A Photojournalist Reflects on His Katrina Experience - NBC News". NBC News. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  5. ^ a b c d "Clarence Williams | The Maynard Institute for Journalism Education". mije.org. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
  6. ^ "Past Special Honors Recipients - National Association of Black Journalists". www.nabj.org. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  7. ^ "POYi Archive". archive.poyi.org. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  8. ^ "Drown the Devil". Blurb. Retrieved 2016-02-11.

Category:Living people Category:American photographers Category:American photojournalists Category:Pulitzer Prize for Photography winners Category:Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography winners