[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 3, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5275-S5276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MAURICE SORRELL

 Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Mr. President, I would like to extend my 
heartfelt congratulations to Maurice Sorrell, the dean of black 
photojournalists, as colleagues, friends, and family gather to 
celebrate his retirement from a lifelong commitment to capturing 
history on film.
  Mr. Sorrell, a D.C. native, first noticed his love for photography as 
a youngster, when he often watched his uncles taking amateur pictures 
of his parents. His first job in photography was at the Pentagon in the 
1950's, where he was permitted to work only in the darkroom because of 
racial segregation policies that existed. In 1957, Mr. Sorrell decided 
to strike out on his own as a freelance photographer. It was in this 
capacity that Mr. Sorrell served the Afro-American Newspapers and the 
Washington Afro-American Newspaper.
  In 1962, Mr. Sorrell joined Johnson Publishing Co., Inc., as a staff 
photographer. Mr. Sorrell's artistic but honest portrayal of most civil 
rights events, as well as other issues of importance to the African-
American community, has made him a landmark figure at Johnson 
Publishing Co., Inc. For the past 35 years, his work has appeared 
regularly in Ebony and Jet magazines. In addition to having received 
numerous awards and citations, Mr. Sorrell has earned a reputation 
among his colleagues for being a truly gifted photographer, with a 
unique eye for capturing the essence of the moment with a single 
portrait.
  Among his many firsts, Mr. Sorrell has the distinction of being the 
first African-American to gain admittance in the prestigious White 
House News Photographers Association in 1961, as well as the honor of 
being the photographer who took the first group photo of the 
Congressional Black Caucus.
  Over the course of his extensive career, Mr. Sorrell has visited more 
than

[[Page S5276]]

24 countries, covered nine presidents, photographed the March to Selma, 
AL, with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., shot the World Series and NFL 
games, and covered many other events. His work has gained him the 
confidence of some of our Nation's most memorable and influential 
people.
  Maurice Sorrell is truly an American legend. Today, I commend him for 
his accomplishments, and applaud his contributions to the field of 
photography. Through his dedication to his art, and by his desire to 
capture our Nation's history on film, he has touched the lives of 
countless Americans.

                          ____________________