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| Photographer Corky Lee at onen of his photo exhibits in New York City. |
UPDATED Jan. 28, 1 a.m. to include reactions and funeral details.
Corky Lee, the legendary Chinatown documentary photographer, lost his battle against COVID-19 at the age of 73. He passed away Wednesday morning.
Lee reportedly first began feeling symptoms of COVID-19 on Jan. 3. He was admitted to a Queens hospital in New York City on Jan. 7, then was moved into the intensive-care unit on Jan. 11, where he was put on a respirator.
Lee has documented Manhattan’s Chinatown and the city’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities since the 1970s. He goes by the whimsical moniker “the undisputed unofficial Asian American photographer laureate.”
Among the major events he has covered were the protests over the beating of Peter Yew by Fifth Precinct police in 1975. Yew had objected after police “mishandled” a youth during a traffic incident and wound up being roughed up inside the precinct.
Born and bred in New York City, Corky strives to make visible the often invisible aspects of Asian American culture and history. "My life's mission can be described as 'photographic justice,'" he has said. "Rectifying omissions in American history one photograph at a time. We do matter, America better get used to it."
He was inspired to become a photographer as a teen when he observed that there was not one Chinese person in any of the iconic historical images of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, despite the fact that Chinese laborers made up the majority of the workforce that toiled to build the railroad. Since 2014, Corky has organized photos of "flash mobs" of Chinese Americans at the historic site in Utah to right this omission.
Over the course of his career, he has captured countless pivotal moments in Asian American history, from a bleeding Chinese American man being hauled off by the NYPD at a march against police brutality, to protests in the aftermath of the 1982 Vincent Chin murder trial, to a Sikh man draped with an American flag after 9/11.
Corky Lee was the eldest son and second child born to Chinese immigrants, Lee Yin Chuck and Jung See Lee. He was proud of his immigrant roots and of his father’s military service during WWII.
Corky Lee is survived by brother John, who resides in Carlsbad, CA with his wife Barbara and their two daughters Jade and Jasmine.
A private service will be held at Wah Wing Sang Funeral Home in New York in the coming days. In lieu of flowers, donations in Corky’s memory can be made to the Asian American Journalist Association (AAJA) Photog Affinity Group, www.aaja.org.
Lee reportedly first began feeling symptoms of COVID-19 on Jan. 3. He was admitted to a Queens hospital in New York City on Jan. 7, then was moved into the intensive-care unit on Jan. 11, where he was put on a respirator.
Asian American leaders and organizations across the nation mourned the passing of the influential photojournalist.
Lee has documented Manhattan’s Chinatown and the city’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities since the 1970s. He goes by the whimsical moniker “the undisputed unofficial Asian American photographer laureate.”
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| CORKY LEE PHOTO |
Among the major events he has covered were the protests over the beating of Peter Yew by Fifth Precinct police in 1975. Yew had objected after police “mishandled” a youth during a traffic incident and wound up being roughed up inside the precinct.
Born and bred in New York City, Corky strives to make visible the often invisible aspects of Asian American culture and history. "My life's mission can be described as 'photographic justice,'" he has said. "Rectifying omissions in American history one photograph at a time. We do matter, America better get used to it."
He was inspired to become a photographer as a teen when he observed that there was not one Chinese person in any of the iconic historical images of the completion of the transcontinental railroad, despite the fact that Chinese laborers made up the majority of the workforce that toiled to build the railroad. Since 2014, Corky has organized photos of "flash mobs" of Chinese Americans at the historic site in Utah to right this omission.
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CORKY LEE PHOTO Photographer Corky Lee's passion was to correct the "omissions" in U.S. history. |
Over the course of his career, he has captured countless pivotal moments in Asian American history, from a bleeding Chinese American man being hauled off by the NYPD at a march against police brutality, to protests in the aftermath of the 1982 Vincent Chin murder trial, to a Sikh man draped with an American flag after 9/11.
Lee documented the fight for reparations for survivors of Japanese World War II internment camps in the American West and also the struggle for Chinese-American W.W. II veterans to be recognized by Washington for their valor.
“Mark Twain said, ‘The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.’ Corky knew his why -- to yield a camera to slay injustices against APAs. And he lived his purpose every day for the greater good of the AAPI community," said Sharon Wong, Past OCA National President.
“Mark Twain said, ‘The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.’ Corky knew his why -- to yield a camera to slay injustices against APAs. And he lived his purpose every day for the greater good of the AAPI community," said Sharon Wong, Past OCA National President.
Congressmember Grace Meng, D-NY, tweeted: "Saddened by news of Corky Lee's Passing. He worked relentlessly to ensure Chinese Americans' contributions to history were appreciated & documented. He was like a walking museum. There will be many moments upon we will reach back to Corky's work to help our community move forward."
Active in the Asian American Journalists' Association, Lee mentored and inspired a generation of journalists.
Corky Lee was the eldest son and second child born to Chinese immigrants, Lee Yin Chuck and Jung See Lee. He was proud of his immigrant roots and of his father’s military service during WWII.
Corky Lee is survived by brother John, who resides in Carlsbad, CA with his wife Barbara and their two daughters Jade and Jasmine.
A private service will be held at Wah Wing Sang Funeral Home in New York in the coming days. In lieu of flowers, donations in Corky’s memory can be made to the Asian American Journalist Association (AAJA) Photog Affinity Group, www.aaja.org.
CORRECTION: Earlier versions of this post misstated Corky Lee's age.
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