In brief
Jack Thornell, the former Associated Press photographer who captured the Pulitzer Prize-winning image of James Meredith's assassination attempt in 1966, has died at 86 due to complications from kidney disease. Thornell's work, which depicted significant moments in the Civil Rights Movement, earned him recognition throughout his 40-year career with the AP. His impactful photography chronicled the struggle for racial justice and many historical figures, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Former Associated Press photographer Jack Thornell, whose Pulitzer Prize-winning picture of a shotgun-felled James Meredith looking back toward his would-be assassin on a Mississippi highway in 1966 became an enduring image of the Civil Rights Movement, has died. He was 86.Thornell died Thursday at a hospital in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie from complications from kidney disease, as reported by his son, Jay Thornell. Working for the AP from 1964 to 2004, Thornell's assignments varied widely, from photographing politicians and natural disasters to crime scenes. However, the struggle for racial justice marked his career from the start, with his first assignment covering the integration of a Mississippi Gulf Coast school. In June 1966, at just 26 years old, Thornell was assigned to cover a civil rights march led by Meredith, who had broken ground by integrating the University of Mississippi. During the march, Thornell found himself on the roadside when the sound of gunfire erupted.Thornell's most notable images captured the violent resistance to desegregation, including the harrowing moment when Meredith, wounded, dragged himself toward safety, and the Pulitzer-winning photograph showing Meredith on the ground, reaching for the road’s edge while gazing at his assailant, captured in the periphery of the frame.Despite initial anxieties about being outshone by another photographer, Thornell was later awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1967 for his work.During the course of his career, Thornell's lens documented pivotal events in the Civil Rights Movement, such as the arrest of local law enforcement officials involved in the murders of civil rights workers in Neshoba County, and the arrests of those who violently opposed school desegregation.Thornell also captured images of prominent figures in the movement, including several photographs of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during major events.Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Thornell's journey into photography began due to a mix-up in the Army, which initially aimed to train him as a radio repairman. Eventually, after a brief course in photography, he found his path, leading him to join the AP during an era marked by significant social upheaval.Thornell is remembered not just for his iconic images, but for the authenticity and emotion he portrayed through his photographs, often under intense conditions. He is survived by his children, Jay and Candy, and his granddaughter.
