A $10 bet during a 1952 dice game would eventually be worth more than Jim Alexander could ever imagine. The 88-year-old famed documentary photographer has lived a life beyond the quarter of a million photographs he’s taken.
Alexander was born to David and Frances James Alexander in Waldwick, New Jersey. In speaking with “Closer Look” host Rose Scott, Alexander said school was never exciting, but he loved reading his older siblings’ schoolbooks. It wasn’t evident to his parents that photography would be his calling. They figured maybe he’d become a musician. A lover of horses, he thought maybe he’d embark upon a career as a jockey – they were all wrong.
At the age of 17, he joined the United States Navy. One day, with a little time on their hands, Alexander and some fellow sailors participated in a friendly dice game. Alexander rolled a ten and was challenged to duplicate the feat. He would get ten dollars from the sailor that made the bet. Alexander rolled a ten, but no money was coming his way. Instead, it was a little cardboard box. He opened the box and inside was a camera.
Alexander decided to snap a few pictures around the naval base and when he learned how photographs were developed in a darkroom, he was hooked.
As told by the 88-year-old in a special audio documentary “Jim Alexander: A Life Beyond His Portraits,” which captures his unique life and the Black American experience. He shares how his move to Atlanta in the 1970s was spurred by Maynard Jackson. Alexander also recalls some memorable moments, including photographing protests with Ku Klux Klan members. Then, Alexander shares his favorite photos and the ones that led to tears. Lastly, Alexander tells Scott that taking photos was never about a monetary goal, but he wanted to teach photography to Black youth in order to capture Black life and community.
