The HistoryMakers

At the age of fifteen, Dawoud Bey (then David Edward Smickle) was given his first 35-millimeter camera. However, his prestigious career as a photographer did not begin until 1975. Inspired by the intimate portrayal of African Americans in the 1969 photography exhibition "Harlem on My Mind," Bey began experimenting with documentary-style photographic techniques. The resulting series of black-and-white photographs, Bey's "Harlem, USA" collection, chronicled urban life in the famous African American community and was later exhibited at the Studio Museum in Harlem in 1979.

Bey has experimented with many innovative approaches and photographic traditions. Whatever his technique, he uses his artwork as a platform to challenge stereotypical images of African Americans and other historically marginalized groups. Since 1992, Bey has completed a number of collaborative projects, working with young people, museums and cultural institutions to broaden the participation of various communities whose voices have often been absent in these institutions

He has had numerous exhibitions worldwide, at such institutions as the Art Institute of Chicago; the National Portrait Gallery in London; the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, where his works were also recently included in the 2000 Whitney Biennial. The Walker Art Center organized a mid-career survey of his work in 1995 that traveled to institutions throughout the United States and Europe. Bey's works are included in the permanent collections of numerous museums around the world. He is currently a professor of photography at Columbia College in Chicago.

Bey was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on January 12, 2001.