© Eliot Elisofon, ca. 1954, Louis Daniel ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong

There are few photographers who can even say they captured Africa quite the way Eliot Elisofon did during his lifetime. Besides that he is also famous for his wonderful portraits like the one above. His legacy of photography and filmmaking provides ethnologists, photographers, and historians a fantastic visual record of African life from 1947 to 1973.

What is most notable about Elisofon is at a time when outside cultures were viewing Africa through stereotypes and misconceptions, his photography was always grounded in humanity and respect. (source)

The color version of this image from the archives of LIFE magazine first appeared on January 17, 1955 (source):

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