Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Margaret Bourke-White

Role / Field:

Pioneering American documentary photographer and photojournalist.

Born:

1904-06-14

Died:

1971-08-27

Century / Era:

1904s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Margaret Bourke-White (; June 14, 1904 – August 27, 1971) was an American documentary photographer and photojournalist. She was known as an architectural and commercial photographer for the first half of her career, representing corporate clients and highlighting the success of industrial capitalism with black and white images of steel factories and skyscrapers. In 1930, she became the first foreign photographer granted official access to document industrial sites in the Soviet Union during the first five-year plan. In 1933, she was commissioned to create the NBC photomural, a monumental photomural about radio for its rotunda at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, then considered the largest photomural in the world.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The success of her corporate commissions led her to work at Fortune magazine in the 1930s. She took the photograph of the construction of Fort Peck Dam that became the cover of the first issue of Life magazine. The second half of her career represents her transition from corporate photography to photojournalism, beginning with her work during the Great Depression documenting the people of the Dust Bowl. Her collaboration with novelist Erskine Caldwell in You Have Seen Their Faces...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abai Qunanbaiuly — Contemporary (Died in 1904) (1904): Foundational Kazakh poet, composer, and Islamic reformer of the 19th century.
• Alejo Carpentier — Contemporary (Born in 1904) (1904): Influential Cuban novelist, essayist, and musicologist of the Latin American Boom.
• Alice Rahon — Contemporary (Born in 1904) (1904): French-born Mexican poet and painter whose work bridged surrealism and abstraction.
• Abd El-Razzak El-Sanhuri — Contemporary (Died in 1971) (1971): Pioneering Egyptian jurist, celebrated for authoring the revised Civil Code of 1948.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• Aditya Chopra — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Pioneering figure in Hindi Cinema, known for producing blockbuster films and leading Yash Raj Films.
• Alexander Sokurov — Shared historical date (06-14 · Born) (1951): Influential Russian filmmaker known for 'Russian Ark' and 'Faust'.
• Alois Alzheimer — Shared historical date (06-14 · Born) (1864): Pioneering psychiatrist credited with identifying early dementia cases.
• Aaron Paul — Shared historical date (08-27 · Born) (1979): American actor, renowned for portraying Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad.
• Agustín Gamarra — Shared historical date (08-27 · Born) (1785): Peruvian soldier and politician who served twice as President of Peru in the 1800s.
• 1904 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1904
• June 14 (06-14) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 14
• 1971 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1971
• August 27 (08-27) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on August 27

Frequently Asked Questions about Margaret Bourke-White