Photographer Bob Adelman was found dead in his Miami home at age 85, with head injuries likely from a fall. Adelman began his career photographing New York jazz clubs, studied under Harper’s Bazaar art director Alexey Brodovitch, and became a protégé of presidential photographer Jacques Lowe. He earned a master’s degree in philosophy from Columbia and was a member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), using his camera to document the Civil Rights movement—including sit-ins, the Selma-to-Montgomery march, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. He also photographed cultural figures such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Samuel Beckett, and Jim Morrison.
Adelman’s work matters because his Civil Rights-era photographs served as crucial evidence in court and helped shift public opinion in favor of the movement. His images continue to resonate, as noted by critics, and have been exhibited at major institutions including the Smithsonian, the Getty Museum, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. His legacy underscores the power of photography to document social justice struggles and preserve history for future generations.