Roy Lewis Revival Exhibit
“What’s Going On?” It isn’t only the title of Marvin Gaye’s 1971 soulful plea for empathy, peace, and understanding; it’s Roy Lewis’ favorite quote. Driven by themes of social injustice, poverty, and the Vietnam War, the song urges society to forgo hatred in place of love and understanding and emphasizes values which helped guide Lewis throughout his career as a photojournalist.
Born in Natchez, Mississippi on July 24, 1937, Lewis was raised on a plantation, the son of a sharecropper who spent his days harvesting cotton. When he was 5 years old his mother died and he spent the remainder of his childhood being raised by his grandparents. Lewis graduated from high school in 1956 and quickly made his way to Chicago where he landed a job with the Johnson publishing company, known for birthing such publications as Ebony and Jet magazines. His career as a photographer and an activist was launched when Jet magazine published his photograph of musician Thelonious Monk. Lewis worked for Johnson publishing from 1956 to 1968, “a special time” in Chicago and the United States.
Lewis spent the height of the Civil Rights movement photographing Black America, and his work was included in the 2025 exhibition Photography and the Black Arts Movement 1955–1985 at the National Gallery of Art. His work earned him numerous accolades including the Maurice Sorrell Lifetime Achievement Award, the International Photography Award, and the Lucie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Photography.
In 1974 Lewis traveled to Zaire, Africa to video the Foreman vs. Ali boxing match known as The Rumble in the Jungle. Some of the footage he captured is featured in the documentary When We Were Kings. Lewis continued to cover major events of the social justice movement and many of his photos are included in the 1995 book The Million Man March. Lewis is the winner of the National Geographic Photography Contest and continues his work as a photographer to this day.
Come and join us at the Aja Yard for an exhibit featuring the work of Roy Lewis. The artist will be in attendance. Entry is by donation. Chef curated food and beverages available for purchase.
https://www.artnews.com/t/roy-lewis/
