Beloved photojournalist and former WABE news reporter Boyd Lewis passes away at age 77

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April 4th, 2023

Legendary photojournalist Boyd Lewis. (Courtesy of Atlanta History Center)

Atlanta photojournalist and former WABE news reporter Boyd Lewis passed away on March 22 at age 77.

Early in his career, Lewis worked at two Black-owned newspapers, The Atlanta Voice and The Atlanta Inquirer, photographing politicians, Civil Rights leaders and other important figures. He also wrote about various aspects of Black communities in Atlanta. Civil Rights leader John Calhoun nicknamed him “the white boy with the Black press.” 

Later, Boyd Lewis became the first news editor for Creative Loafing, where he covered the evolving political landscape of Atlanta in the early-to-mid 1970s.

After years of print and photojournalism, he became a radio news reporter for WABE in the late 1970s.  Lewis didn’t shy away from covering any controversial topics involving the South and was most proud of “Southwind,” the program he produced and hosted on WABE from 1980 to 1987.

Lewis understood the profound importance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy to Atlantans in particular. Lewis also examined the impact of broader topics on the Atlanta community. He focused an entire show on how banning certain books affected local bookstores.

In 1984, Lewis interviewed President Jimmy Carter. The conversation was about the Carter Center partnering with Emory University and the CDC to reduce rates of disease and death.

Lewis was the last legal resident to live in the Margaret Mitchell House, where Mitchell wrote most of “Gone with the Wind.” His photographs helped re-create the inside of the home in order to make it into a museum, now owned by The Atlanta History Center.

Years ago, Lewis donated over 25,000 images and audio recordings to the Atlanta History Center’s archival library.

He is survived by his wife, Deborah Lewis, whom he met through WABE.

“Boyd was a witty, generous and fun colleague,” said WABE “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes. “He loved theater, wearing his vintage RAF leather bomber jacket and being surrounded by friends.”

You can see Boyd Lewis’ photographs and hear his “Southwind” recordings by searching The Atlanta History Center’s database at album.atlantahistorycenter.com.

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