Noted celebrity and red carpet photographer Bill Jones died. Born William Benjiman Jones, he was 81. He was a beloved member of the paparazzi because he had good manners.
Jones’ first celebrity photo was of Muhammad Ali in the early 1960s while on duty as a technical sergeant with the Air Force. Later, he pursued his lifelong dream of studying photography at the London School of Photography, where he was stationed. His collection of historical photographs includes 1960’s photos of Ali, Bill Cosby, Denzel Washington, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston and Eddie Murphy, when they were rising stars.
“Being the only Black photographer, other Black actors and actresses would come to me and let me take whatever pictures I wanted,” Jones said in the 2006 interview with the Mansfield News Journal. “As a Black man, it was very difficult at the time when I started,” the Ohio native told his hometown paper. “It was tough to get a space in what we called ‘the line.'” Jones’ goal was to capture Black entertainers who were likely to be overlooked by mainstream media.
His work appeared in Ebony, Jet and Sister 2 Sister magazines, the L.A. Watts Times, the Wave and L.A. Focus. Jones was profiled in Aaron Baldwin’s book Hollywood in Black: 40 years of Photography by Bill Jones.
Jones was diagnosed with dementia believed to be caused by a brain injury he suffered in an unprovoked 1997 attack. When he was 62, Jones was washing his car outside his Hyde Park home when a neighbor, 39-year-old Shai Alkebulan, bludgeoned him with a baseball bat. The injuries left Jones in a coma for a month and paralyzed on his right side. Jones spent months in therapy. When he returned to photography, he used his left hand to position his 35mm Canon camera. Alkebulan was given life plus 13 years in prison.
Jones said that like the celebrities he covered, he had to fight for recognition in Hollywood.
Jones died June 25 in his South Los Angeles home surrounded by family and friends, according to his granddaughter Latoya Jones.
A “GoFundMe” account has been created to provide monetary support toward the funeral services and burial of Jones which reads:
Services will be held July 14, 2016 at 7pm at Holman United Methodist Church 3302 West Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90018 The Candle Light Memorial For Our beloved Bill Jones will Be a Celebration of Life & Light that was shown through his heart and photos that many of us were able to experience! Cream and gold dress attire is suggested but not required. The Family appreciates All of your love and Support at this difficult time.
Sincerely ,
Latoya Jones
Contributions for funeral expenses can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/2bdqnys.
