Black in America

by Eli Reed, Gordon Parks (Foreword)

Eli Reed has been documenting the black experience in America from the first time he began taking pictures. Now a member of Magnum, the prestigious photojournalist's cooperative, he is known for his unflinching coverage of events both large and small. Here we see tender moments between parents and children contrasted with the Los Angeles riots. The joy of a wedding follows the sorrow and anger at the funeral of Yusef Hawkins in Brooklyn. The deceptive innocence of rural life balances the tensions of the urban drug scene. And a 104-year-old woman contemplates her life a few pages away from the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. There is truth in Reed's work, as well as anger, and compassion. These images communicate to us--sometimes as gently as a kiss and sometimes as cruelly as a bullet. They are part of Eli Reed's America--and ours.

Genres: Photography, History, Art

176 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1997

Reviews

[Newly Wardell · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is such a insightful collection of American history. Eli Reed's photography is a delicate balance of pose and restraint.

[Tim Turnbull · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a stunning volume with Eli Reed documenting black life in America. There are many amazing images including first hand accounts of the Crown Heights Riot, the Million Man March and conflict in Beirut. It is not surprising that Eli Reed became an acclaimed Magnum photographer - and this book sets out in powerful black and white images his amazing skill at capturing important events in late 20th Century America.