Sharon Farmer

Sharon Camille Farmer (born June 10, 1951)[1] is an American photographer. She was the first African-American woman to be hired as a White House photographer[2][3] and the first African American and first female to be Director of the White House Photography office.[4][5]

Sharon Farmer
Chief Official White House Photographer
In office
September 1998 – January 20, 2001
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byBob McNeely
Succeeded byEric Draper
Personal details
Born (1951-06-10) June 10, 1951
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Alma materOhio State University
OccupationPhotojournalist

Biography

Farmer was born and raised in Washington, D.C.,[6] and graduated from Ohio State University in 1974 with a degree in photography. While a student she became a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, vice president of the student government, and served as editor for the school newspaper, Our Choking Times.[7]

Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat, U.S. President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak came together for peace negotiations in 2000. Photograph by Sharon Farmer
Sharon Farmer photo of Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat, U.S. President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak who came together for peace negotiations in 2000.

Career

Farmer started her career in 1974 shooting album covers. Her freelance photography grew to photojournalism and she worked for Smithsonian Institution, The Washington Post and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[8]

In 1993, Sharon Farmer was hired to photograph for The White House covering President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.[9][10] Later, Farmer was promoted to Director of White House Photography and became the first African American and first woman to hold this position.[8][11]

Farmer's work has been included in multiple exhibits, including: "Songs of My People," "Art against AIDS," "Gospel in the Projects," "Twenty Years on the Mall," "Washington, DC-Beijing Exchange," and "Our View of Struggle."[8]

Academia

Sharon Farmer majored in photography and minored in music at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree.[12]

References
  1. Gates, Henry Louis. "Profile Sharon Farmer African-American National Biography" (PDF). Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  2. Dawkins, Wayne (January 1, 2003). Rugged Waters: Black Journalists Swim the Mainstream. August Press LLC. ISBN 9780963572073.
  3. Smith, Jessie Carney; Bracks, Lean'tin; Wynn, Linda T. (June 1, 2015). The Complete Encyclopedia of African American History. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 9781578595839.
  4. "Meet White House Photographer, Sharon Farmer". clinton4.nara.gov. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  5. Langer, Emily (August 19, 2013). "Ellsworth J. Davis, first black photographer for The Washington Post, dies at 86". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  6. Freeman, Macy L. (November 22, 2011). "Black photographers tell their stories". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  7. "Sharon Farmer". LGBTHistoryMonth.com. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  8. "Sharon Farmer". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  9. "Photographer Spotlight | Sharon Farmer". thephotographer4you.com. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  10. "Minor Rift Between First Pets - 01-06-98". AllPolitics. CNN. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  11. "Tuason presents award to Sharon Farmer". www.glaa.org. April 20, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  12. "Sharon Farmer". Focus On The Story. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
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