This Day in Black History: May 5, 1969

Civil rights-era photographer Moneta Sleet wins the Pulitzer Prize for his iconic photo of Coretta Scott King at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral.

Posted: 05/05/2012 07:00 AM EDT

(Photo: AP Photo)

Civil rights-era photojournalist Moneta Sleet became the first African-American to receive the Pulitzer Prize for journalism in 1969 for his photo of Coretta Scott King at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral.

A native of Owensboro, Kentucky, Sleet began his career at The Amsterdam News in 1950 and joined the staff of Ebony magazine in 1955. Throughout his career, Sleet took some of the most ubiquitous photos of several prominent African-Americans, including, Muhammad Ali, Dizzy Gillespie, Stevie Wonder, and Billie Holiday.

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