Roy Lewis

Roy Lewis was born on July 24, 1937, in Natchez, Mississippi. His story is one deeply rooted in the South’s tumultuous past. In 1940, his family relocated from the Shieldsboro Plantation to Oakland Plantation, a move that would indelibly mark their lives. The untimely death of his mother, Elizabeth Lewis, from tuberculosis created a void in their midst, leaving Roy Lewis and his six siblings bereft. Her parting message, a plea for familial unity, would later become a cornerstone of his photographic pursuits.

Raised by his maternal grandparents in a sharecropping family, Lewis’ journey from the South to the bustling metropolis of Chicago was marked by both ambition and fortitude. After completing his education at Sadie V. Thompson High School in Natchez, he ventured north and secured employment at Johnson Publishing. His induction into the army in 1960 precipitated his discovery of a passion for photography, a talent he honed with a modest 35mm camera. The visual chronicles of his fellow soldiers and friends would soon pave the way for his foray into professional photography. In 1961, he married Marmel Robinson, and a year later, he was discharged from the army.

Rejoining Johnson Publishing, Lewis’ breakthrough moment occurred when JET magazine published his portrait of jazz virtuoso Thelonious Monk. In 1966, he journeyed back to Mississippi to document the March Against Fear, following the shooting of James Meredith. By 1968, he had left Johnson Publishing and embarked on a teaching career in the film department at Northeastern Illinois University.

In 1973, Lewis travelled to Jackson MS to photograph the Phillis Wheatley Poetry Festival. Lewis’ work gained further prominence when he filmed an interview with Elijah Muhammad for “A Nation of Common Sense.” In 1974, he captured the historic “Rumble in the Jungle” boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The documentary “When We Were Kings” immortalizes the footage from this iconic event.

In 1975, Lewis commenced work on “River Road on Mississippi,” a pictorial tome showcasing the African American experience along the Mississippi River. He contributed to the 1995 photo book project, “Song of My People,” and documented the Million Man March, a monumental gathering of over 830,000 Black men in Washington, D.C. Furthermore, he filmed Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks for the documentary “Riding and Striding, Reading and Teaching: A Short Day in the Life of Gwendolyn Brooks,” which was screened by the Poetry Foundation in June 2017.

Lewis’ oeuvre has been duly recognized, earning him accolades such as the Maurice Sorrell Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as honors from the National Press Club and the National Press Photographers Association. A selection of his work is proudly displayed in the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.