Fighting bigotry, dispelling stereotypes

By Lauren Booker, Special to CNN

Published 1202 GMT (2002 HKT) February 11, 2016

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On a hot summer day in 1961, Louis Draper took his camera outside to snap this gleeful moment of kids playing in the shooting spray of a New York City fire hydrant. Although Draper died in 2002 and was not widely famous during his lifetime, his photography -- mostly of everyday African-Americans -- has gained him a newfound appreciation in recent years. The Steven Kasher Gallery in New York is exhibiting more than 75 of his photos through February 20. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

Draper captured this portrait of Malcolm X in 1964 -- the year before the civil rights activist was assassinated. Malcolm X spoke of seeking racial equality "by any means necessary," while Draper regarded his own photography as an "engaged resistance" against bigotry. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

"Lou Draper's photographs of blacks in the streets of Harlem showed their dignity, grace and sense of pride. I'd never seen such beautiful photographs of ordinary black people," said photographer Shawn Walker in a 1987 interview with Ten 8 magazine. Walker is a member of Kamoinge, a group of New York-based African-American photographers co-founded by Draper. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

This portrait of a New York woman was taken by Draper in 1965. Draper was born in Richmond, Virginia, and moved to New York to attend the New York Institute of Photography in 1957. He taught photography for more than three decades. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

Two children play handball in New York in 1965. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

Draper had a way of capturing his subjects' inner emotional lives. Take, for example, this portrait of a weary-looking New York garment worker, his face marked with scars. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

In 1959, Draper's work was exhibited at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York. The world's oldest photography museum recognized him as one of the most refined photographers of the era. Consider the composition of this photo -- a playground swing and its shadow. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

Draper took this portrait of Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights activist, in 1971. Hamer was known for saying, "I am sick and tired of being sick and tired" -- a phrase that's etched on her gravestone. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

This 1967 New York street scene is named after the movie poster hanging in the background. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

A man rushes through New York's Herald Square in front of a divine backdrop. By portraying his subjects with dignity -- not merely as victims of social oppression -- Draper sought to change how African-Americans were perceived. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

Draper occasionally left New York to photograph the world. This photo, taken in 1978 in Dakar, Senegal, shows a man and a woman next to a poster for an Italian B movie. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

This 1958 image shows the interplay of light and shadow on the linens of an unmade bed. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

Draper's prints have been shown in exhibitions at the Allen Memorial Art Museum, the Columbia College Gallery and the Fogg Museum at Harvard University. His works also are in public collections such as the Museum of Modern Art and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

This 1965 print shows a streetlight reflected in a puddle on a playground. After Draper died in 2002, his sister, Nell Draper-Winston, worked to bring attention to his life and career. The first major retrospective of his work was held in 2014. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

One of Draper's recurring themes was the juxtaposition of human subjects with street signs, posters or graffiti. This image, "Girl and Cuba," was captured in Philadelphia in 1968. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York

Draper wanted his photography to dispel the stereotypes placed on African-Americans during a turbulent period for race relations. When this photo was taken in New York in 1965, Jim Crow laws were still enforcing segregation in southern states. Courtesy Steven Kasher Gallery, New York