In this soon-to-be-released short, a trailblazing African American photographer recounts his rise through the ranks of the country's most prestigious picture magazines during the heyday of American photojournalism. Photographing the era's social and political turmoil as well as cultural icons like Muhammad Ali, B.B. King, Richie Havens and the young Michael Jackson, John Shearer had an office at LIFE Magazine before he turned 23 years old--but it all came crashing down when the publishing industry imploded just a few years later.
Below are some examples of Shearer's unforgettable pictures...
Shearer captured heartwrenching images of the crowd gathered for the funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968.
Richie Havens, 1967.
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, 1971.
Funeral of gang member, 1972.