*Lawrence Jackson was the only Black America photographer in the Barack Obama White House. Now he has been chosen as Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ official photographer.
Jackson, who was a staff photographer for the Associated Press in Boston and Washington from 2000 to 2009, captured the Obama years for a book of White House photographs titled, “Yes We Did,” in 2019. The former president wrote the foreword, noting their commonalities as Black men.
A press release on the BIden-Harris website notes that the Richmond, Va., native was the staff photographer to Harris during the election campaign. Prior to his role on the campaign, Jackson freelanced as an editorial and political photographer based in the Washington, D.C. area. He also served as a photojournalist at The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va. The graduate of James Madison University lives in the D.C. area with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
Since his time with the Obama Administration, Jackson has freelanced, including stints as campaign photographers for Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren, per Journal-isms.
Congrats Lawrence Jackson on your new role (and new book)! Looking forward to your pix.. @ap alum @KamalaHarris https://t.co/jixTBo7IFE
— Susan Wise (@shwise00) January 16, 2021
“I’m a D.C. based photographer who covers news, events, editorial, portrait and lifestyle photography,” Jackson wrote on his website.
“My career has taken me from the small town fairs of rural Virginia to meetings in the Oval Office of the White House and beyond. I love that photography has the power to inform, inspire and evoke emotion — sometimes all three things happen in one picture.”
Meanwhile, veterans Adam Schultz and TJ Ducklo have been tapped by President-elect Joe Biden to fill out his communications department.
“TJ Ducklo, who had been press secretary for the campaign, will be the deputy press secretary in the White House; former Obama White House communications director Jen Psaki will be press secretary,” Alex Weprin reported Friday for the Hollywood Reporter. “Ducklo joined the campaign from MSNBC, where he worked in its press shop.”
“Adam Schultz will be the chief official White House photographer, after serving as the campaign’s official photographer. Drew Heskett will be the presidential videographer. . . .”
Here’s more from THR:
Former Obama chief strategist Anita Dunn will become a senior advisor to Biden,and Matthew Hill will become senior associate communications director.
Seth Schuster, Ike Hajinazarian, and Rykia Dorsey Craig will be regional communications directors, with Terry Moynihan and Todd Zubatkin joining as deputy directors for research.
“These appointees are among a diverse and experienced team that is dedicated to building our nation back better and rebuilding the trust of the American people. These staff members will be critical in communicating information on behalf of the White House to the press and the American public. They are respected and creative strategists ready to tackle the urgent challenges facing our nation,” said incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain.
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