Moneeta Sleet Jr. spent over four decades shooting some of Black America’s most lasting images for EBONY magazine. He is the first African-American to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize.
Sleet was born in Owens, Ky. On February 14, 1926. He attended what is now known as Kentucky State University as a business major before catching the photography bug. Sleet’s time at school was interrupted by a brief stint in military service during World War II. Sleet eventually went on to obtain a master’s in photography.
In 1955, Sleet began working as a photojournalist with EBONY Magazine. From the March on Washington most candid moments, to snapping several Black celebrities and entertainers, he developed a reputation for capturing the Black experience within his lenses.
Little Known Black History Fact: Moneta Sleet, Jr. was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
