We had the good fortune of connecting with Johnny Crawford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Johnny, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I became a photographer 45 years ago because of a horrible photograph of my grandfather, Henry Crawford, in my local paper. My photography business went from part-time to full-time when I was laid off from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2013. I was an award-winning staff photographer for 28 years and seven months at the newspaper. I now specialize in black and white portraiture.

My two major projects: “The Vietnam Black Soldiers Portrait Project.” and “The Perfect Gift,” The African American Organ Transplantation Project, are designed to aid in psychologically and physically healing.

The Vietnam Black Soldiers Portrait Project aims to produce portraits of Black Vietnam Veterans in 19 states and the District of Columbia. These portraits will represent a visual history of the 275,000 Black men and women who served in combat and supply services in all branches of the United States Military. The states include Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, New York, California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Over 7240 Black Soldiers died during the war, and more than four times that number were physically injured. In contrast, the number of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is over 200,000.

The project’s mission is to educate Americans about the Black men and women in their community that served, suffered, and died, fighting for democracy and civil rights on behalf of the people in South Vietnam, even though they did not have the same rights themselves as Americans.

The project’s vision is to supply museum-quality portraits of these brave but unknown Americans for exhibits in museums, churches, schools, and galleries in their communities.

The “Perfect Gift” is a photography exhibit highlighting African American transplant recipients, living donors, and deceased family members. The series of black and white portraits underline the impact of a donation.

“The Perfect Gift” vision is to increase the number of African American organ donors in Georgia. Approximately 5,000 men, women, and children await lifesaving organ transplants in Georgia. Sixty – three percent of those on the transplant waiting list in Georgia are African American. I had a kidney transplant over 27 years ago.

I have an M.A. degree in photojournalism from Ohio University, B.A. Degree in Psychology and a B.A. Public Relations from Morehouse College.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Johnny Crawford is a visual storyteller and educator from Jackson, Georgia, who has documented the human spirit in 45 states and four continents for 39 years.

He taught photography at Grady High School, Marietta City Schools Adult Education Program, Clark Atlanta University, University of Georgia, and Mercer University. In 2017, he was the Artist -In – Residence at Middle Georgia State University and the Tubman Museum in Macon, Georgia. While at the Tubman Museum, he produced the museum’s first permanent series of black & white portraits entitled “Leading the Way – Macon Trailblazers and Activists.”

He was an award-winning staff photographer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) for over 28 years. During his tenure at the AJC, he photographed the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China; 2004 G8 Summit of World Leaders, 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA; 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, and five U.S. Presidents. In 1994, he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for a photo of a new American citizen born in Romania crying while grasping the American Flag. In addition, he is the winner of the 2008 National Headliner First Place winner in Sports Photography, Georgia Associated Press 2008 Picture of the Year Winner, The Best of Cox Newspapers 2008 Sports Photography Winner, and 2008 Georgia Press Association First Place in Sports Photography and 2012 APME Georgia Newspapers Award in Sports Photography.

In 2015 he received the Cascade United Methodist Good Man Award, and in 2016 he was presented The National Urban League “I Am Empowered” Meritorious Service Award.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The Atlanta Beltline would be a great place to exercise and see the city of Atlanta. In addition, Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral is an excellent place to hear the word of God and get inspired. The Carter Center, Atlanta University Center, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, The King Center, and Georgia Aquarium are great sightseeing venues.

Check out the Slutty Vegan, The Varsity, Pascals, Baltimore Crab & Seafood, and Fox Brothers for food.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My grandparents, Mamie and Henry Crawford, are the two key people that deserve a great deal of credit because they raised me and my sister, Darlene, after the death of our parents, Ruby and Henry CrawfordJr.

In photography, my high school journalism teacher Mrs. Annette Williams put a camera in my hand for the first time. My aunt Mamie Crawford gave me my first camera 42 years ago, and my wife Jacqueline Crawford of 35 years, is my best friend and cheerleader.

Website: https://vietnamblacksoldiersportraitproject.com/index.php/artist/

Instagram: johnnycrawfordphotos

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/johnnycrawfordphotography

Twitter: @jcrawfordajc

Other: https://www.johnnycrawfordphotography.com/index Jcrawfordajc@gmail.com

Image Credits
All the photos were taken by me and I own the rights. The credit should read Johnny Crawford Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.