The Quiet Trailblazer in Photojournalism

The individual of choice for this blog for female photojournalists is Ruby Washington. She was the first African American woman staff photographer at The New York Times in the mid-1970s. In 1952, on a farm in Patterson, Georgia, Washington was born with a passion for photojournalism. From her youth, she had a personal passion, her family’s spiritual beliefs, and that burning desire to document and report important events with her own touch, which became her drive for entering such a profound field.

Photo by: Rudy Washington/New York Times While having such an ambition, there were also many hindrances that raised doubts if she should proceed with such a career. Dealing with racism and segregation for not just her race, but her gender as well. Growing up, she went to school in a hostile environment where she had to be escorted to and from school each day by federal marshals due to the violence she endured. Rejection and social isolation were soon to follow; nevertheless, Washington knew what she desired and persistently continued moving forward.

Photo by: Rudy Washington/New York Times In a male-dominated field, Washington remained humble and ambitious, resulting in her nomination for multiple awards for her work. Despite the odds against her, she chose to accept them privately. While many will take the award and show all the doubters of their success, Washington does the opposite. Not that she feels the need to show her worth to those around her, she feels like she already fulfilled what's important before the nomination for the award. She set a goal and surpassed even her own expectations.

Photo By: Ruby Washington/The New York Times In 2010, Washington fell ill due to breast cancer. She kept the news private, yet she persevered. Sadly, on September 12, 2018, at sixty-six years old, Washington’s battle with cancer came to an end. The New York Times will always remember her as ‘The Quiet Trailblazer in Photojournalism,’ a title that perfectly reflects her strength and legacy.

Farwell part for five photographers, including Rudy Washington Photo By: Chang W. Lee/The New York Times In many careers, there is discrimination that follows women. Construction, finance, and STEM are fields that are mainly male-dominated. Women often are underrepresented, underpaid, and often face bias in hiring and getting promotions. Washington is a prime example of this, and yet against all odds, she advanced. She is an inspiration to future generations of women entering careers where the odds are stacked against them.

In trails and triumphs, we learn about different female journalist and their stories. Just like Marion Wolcott and Marilyn Nance, both knew that they need to spread photojouralism in their own way, no matter the downhill. Women had to go through many struggles while gaining their independence, reading bout Washington's story fit perefctly with this theme References: Ruby Washington: A Quiet Trailblazer in Photojournalism, Ruby Washington, Women COntinue to Struggle for Equal Pay and Representation, Marion Post Wolcott, The Photographs of Marilyn Nance