To celebrate the US Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, today's Google doodle celebrates the life and brilliance that the American photographer, activist, and journalist brought into the world. Let’s get started by knowing more about him.
Who was Corky Lee?
Corky Lee was a photographer and activist who focused on documenting and celebrating the experiences and contributions of Asian Americans. His photography reflected the variation of the Asian Pacific American community which was often overlooked by mainstream media. In his honour, this day was called ‘Corky Lee Day’ in 1988. Lee’s work was driven by his commitment to social justice and his desire to challenge stereotypes and promote greater visibility and representation for Asian Americans.
Corky Lee: Early life
Born on 5th September 1947 in Queens, New York City, Lee was the second child of Lee Yin Chuck and Jung See Lee both of whom were immigrants from China. His father was a laundry business owner and a soldier in World War II and his mother worked as a seamstress. He also had an older sister and three younger brothers. Other personal details about his life are mentioned in the table below;
| Birthday | 5th September 1947 |
| Birthplace | Queens, New York City, USA |
| Death day | 27th January 2021 |
| Place of death | Queens, New York City, USA |
| Occupation | Activist, Community Organizer, Journalist and Photographer |
Corky Lee: Education and career
While studying in school, Corky learned about the transcontinental railroad in social studies class. Also, he saw a photograph of the completion of the railroad but noticed that thousands of Chinese labourers who helped build the railroad were not represented in the photograph. This incident inspired him to learn photography. He started learning photography by borrowing cameras to practice. Later, he attended Queens College to study history.
After completing his education, Lee worked as a freelance photographer, covering events in the Asian American community and other communities of colour. He often volunteered his services to non-profit organizations and community groups, using his photography to raise awareness about social issues and document the struggles and triumphs of marginalized communities.
Corky Lee: Awards
Here is the list of some prestigious awards that Lee won during his lifetime
| Year | Award |
| 1993 | Photographer-Artist-in-Residence Award, Syracuse University |
| 1993 | Special Recognition Award, Asian American Journalists Association |
| 2002 | New York Press Association Award |
| 2002 | Artist-In-Residence, New York University's Asian/Pacific/American Studies Program & Institute |
| 2008 | Pioneer Award, Organization of Chinese Americans |
| 2009 | Susan Ahn Award for Civil Rights and Social Justice for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Asian American Journalists Association |
| 2014 | UC Regents Lecturer, University of California, Los Angeles Asian American Studies Center and Department & Luskin School of Public Affairs Urban Planning Department. |
The legend lives on
Throughout Lee's entire life, his photographs appeared in recognised publications like Time Magazine, The New York Times, and The New York Post. He has won numerous awards honouring his work. Also, he often visited the Promontory Summit in Utah because he wished to recreate the photograph that was taken during the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
To bring to life an overlooked portion of American history, he once again invited several of the families of the Chinese labourers who were missing in the 1869 photograph. The documentary based on Lee's life called 'Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee story' celebrates his legacy till date.
Also Read: Today in History, 5 May: What Happened on this Day?
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