One Shot Harris

by Teenie Harris, Stanley Crouch

From the 1930s through the 1970s, Charles "Teenie" Harris (1908-1998) traversed the alleyways, workplaces, and nightclubs of his native city, camera in hand, to capture the essence of community life for the Pittsburgh Courier. Backstage with Dizzy Gillespie, in the dugout with Jackie Robinson, or on the streets with children of the Hill district, Harris documented every aspect of African-American daily life during and after the Civil Rights movement. Although nicknamed "One Shot" for his habit of snapping just a single frame at any given event, Harris's output -- privately held until recently -- totals more than 80,000 images.Published here in book form for the first time, a select 135 duotones from this astonishing archive offer an indepth look at the black urban experience in mid-20th century America. Accompanying the illustrations is an energetic essay by cultural critic Stanley Crouch, who ties together issues such as baseball, jazz, and black history. Deborah Willis provides a biographical outline of the rediscovered artist, now poised on the threshold of prominence in modern American photography.

Genres: Photography, Art, History

168 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[phil breidenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent photos!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glorious, expressive photos of black life in Pittsburgh in the 1930s & 1940s & 1950s. From the introduction by Stanley Crouch, "Looking at these people as they work and as they play, as they primp and as they pray, as they compete and as they cooperate, as they eat and as they exist in that kind of open-eyed sleep we so perfectly describe as daydreaming, we begin to understand the contours of the national culture and how strongly it transcended superficial differences. Some of the mystery of our past is pushed aside by these pictures in favor of a range of specifics, and those specifics are as universal as they are particular." Amen.

Another great introductory (to that Steel City Swing) quote : "Pittsburgh....is without exception the blackest place which I ever saw. As regards scenery, it is beautifully situated being just at the juncture of the two rivers, Monongahela and Allegheny....Nothing can be more picturesque that the site....Even the filth and wondrous blackness of the place are picturesque when looked down upon from above." ~Anthony Trollope, 1860

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Photos taken by Teenie Harris from the 1930's through the 1970's showing the rich history of Pittsburgh's African-American neighborhoods as well as the entertainers, sports figures, and historical figures that lived in or visited Pittsburgh during that time.

I liked this. Mr. Harris keeps alive neighborhoods that no longer exist. He shows how vibrant life was in Pittsburgh during those four decades. He also shows that skin color makes no difference--we all have the same dreams for ourselves and our children. Beautiful!

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing photographs, good biography, strange introduction. A very quick read, but paints a great picture of Pittsburgh culture in the mid-twentieth century. I was inspired to read this because of the new exhibit on Harris at the Carnegie Museum, which I visited as part of my class on museums. There are some really great baseball photos in the collection!

[R. David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about Pittsburgh from the perspective of a photographer of color beginning in the early 1940's. Interesting and balanced. Good photographer as well.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Teenie One Shot Harris for many reasons. His shots are fresh and lively giving a good look into black life in Pittsburgh in the 40's and 50's. He got his nickname from politicians for the way he'd come in and take one shot when other photographers were hammering out too many. Have to tip your hat to efficiency and confidence like that.

[Tommyb]

Photography