Sturkey, Don

Don Sturkey (b. 1931) retired as chief photographer of the "Charlotte Observer" in 1989 after 34 years. The native of Lincoln County, Ga., arrived at his profession by chance; Sturkey joined the United States Navy in 1948 and was assigned to shore duty in Washington. He repeatedly asked to be transferred, including to photography school, and in early 1950 he was granted this opportunity. Sturkey went on to be the first staff photographer at the "Shelby Daily Star" and worked there for one summer. He attended Gardner-Webb College in Boiling Springs, N.C., and joined the staff of the "High Point Enterprise" following college. Sturkey began working at the "Charlotte Observer" in November of 1955.

From the description of Don Sturkey photographic materials, 1951-1989. WorldCat record id: 429920619

Don Sturkey (b. 1931) retired as chief photographer of the Charlotte Observer in 1989 after 34 years. The native of Lincoln County, Ga., arrived at his profession by chance; Sturkey joined the United States Navy in 1948 and was assigned to shore duty in Washington. He repeatedly asked to be transferred, including to photography school, and in early 1950 he was granted this opportunity. Sturkey went on to be the first staff photographer at the Shelby Daily Star and worked there for one summer. He attended Gardner-Webb College in Boiling Springs, N.C., and joined the staff of the High Point Enterprise following college. Sturkey began working at the Charlotte Observer in November of 1955.

In 1961 Sturkey was named National Newspaper Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association for work he completed in 1960. He was the first southerner to win this award. Sturkey's work has appeared in periodicals including Time, Life, The Saturday Evening Post, and Ebony . He served as president of the Carolinas Press Photographers Association in 1965, as chair of the National Press Photographers Ethics Committee in 1975, and as chair of the National Press Photographers Association's National Pictures of the Year competition in 1976. Sturkey is the author of A Slice of Time: A Carolina's Album 1950-90 (1990), which includes highlights of his work covering the Carolinas, and provided photographs for The Catawba River (1983) and Becoming Truly Free: 300 Years of Black History in the Carolinas (1985). In 1991, Sturkey was inducted into the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame.

From the guide to the Don Sturkey Photographic Materials, 1951-2007, (bulk 1951-1989), (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. North Carolina Collection.)