In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the US, today’s Google Doodle celebrates the life and brilliance that the American photographer, activist and journalist brought to the world. Let’s start by knowing more about him.
Who was Corky Lee?
Corky Lee was a photographer and activist who focused on documenting and celebrating the experiences and contributions of Asian Americans. Her photograph reflected the variation of the Asian Pacific American community that was often overlooked by the mainstream media. In her honor, this day was named ‘Corky Lee Day’ in 1988. Lee’s work was driven by her commitment to social justice and her desire to challenge stereotypes and promote greater visibility and representation. of Asian Americans.
Corky Lee: early life
Born on September 5, 1947 in Queens, New York, Lee was the second son of Lee Yin Chuck and Jung See Lee, both immigrants from China. His father was a laundry business owner and a soldier in World War II and his mother worked as a seamstress. He also had an older sister and three younger brothers. Other personal details about his life are mentioned in the following table;
|
Birthday |
September 5, 1947 |
|
place of birth |
Queens, New York, USA |
|
dead day |
January 27, 2021 |
|
place of death |
Queens, New York, USA |
|
Occupation |
Activist, community organizer, journalist and Photographer |
Corky Lee: education and career
While in school, Corky learned about the transcontinental railroad in social studies class. Additionally, he saw a photograph of the railroad’s completion, but noticed that thousands of Chinese workers who helped build the railroad were not represented in the photograph. This incident inspired him to learn photography. He began learning photography by borrowing cameras to practice. Later, he attended Queens College to study history.
After completing his education, Lee worked as a freelance photographer, covering events in the Asian American community and other communities of color. He often volunteered his services to nonprofit organizations and community groups, using his photography to raise awareness about social issues and document the struggles and triumphs of marginalized communities.
Corky Lee: Awards
Here is the list of some prestigious awards that Lee won during his lifetime.
|
Year |
Grant |
|
1993 |
Photographer-Artist in Residence Award, Syracuse University |
|
1993 |
Special Recognition Award, Association of Asian American Journalists |
|
2002 |
New York Press Association Award |
|
2002 |
Artist in Residence, New York University Asian, Pacific and American Studies Program and Institute |
|
2008 |
Pioneer Award, Organization of Chinese Americans |
|
2009 |
Susan Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Association of Asian American Journalists |
|
2014 |
UC Regents Professor, Center and Department of Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, and Department of Urban Planning, Luskin School of Public Affairs. |
The legend lives on
Throughout Lee’s life, his photographs appeared in well-known publications such as Time Magazine, The New York Times, and The New York Post. She has won numerous awards in honor of her work. Additionally, he frequently visited Promontory Summit in Utah because he wanted to recreate the photograph that was taken during the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
To bring to life an overlooked part of American history, he once again invited several of the families of Chinese workers who disappeared in the 1869 photograph. The documentary based on Lee’s life called ‘Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee story’ celebrates his legacy to this day.
Read also: Today in history, May 5: What happened that day?
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: ptivs2.edu.vn