Major Morris

What I see is the indomitable spirit that feeds the imagination, the curiosity, the need for doing that is natural to these and all youngsters during their formative years. I see the possibilities for growth, for the excitement of learning, for the formation of dreams that will take them up and out into productive, contributive lives.
What I see is the need for the dreams to be nurtured! That is what my photographs are about!
- Major Morris

A Photograph

One day, I was searching for inspiration on a design when I stumbled onto an EDC publication from 1970 titled, Teacher’s Guide for Pattern Blocks. The first photograph depicted two Black school-age children, deeply engrossed in a mathematical investigation. The girl is mid-sentence with her hand out, saying something to the boy. The boy’s eyes and hands are glued to his latest masterpiece, which is one of many on a table brimming with mathematical exploration.

At their core, the photographs in this Teacher’s Guide capture what Danny Martin has called the brilliance of Black children in mathematics. I wanted to know more about who was responsible for these photographs. After some digging, I learned that the photographer was Major Morris.

An article in the San Diego Union Tribune pays tribute to Major’s work and legacy (he passed away at age 95 in 2006). Major lived a storied life. He grew up poor in Cincinnati during the Depression. His grandmother, Muh, cultivated his deep value for education at an early age. During the War, he was drafted into the Army where he served as a “Buffalo Soldier”. Later in life, he went on to receive a degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The photographs from this Teacher’ Guide come from the time after the War and before graduate school. The Tribune says, “he began chronicling student life as a full-time photographer for the schools in Newton, Mass. His striking, candid photos of young, smiling children at play and study were the focus of several major exhibitions. Morris said his favorite images were those of young children with hope in their eyes.”

I got in touch with his wife, Anne-Grethe Morris, who stewards his work. In our conversation, she spoke lovingly of Morris, his many accomplishments, and his hope for the future. We’re thankful to Anne-Grethe, who gave us permission to share this set of photographs from the Teacher’s Guide, in hopes that more people know about the person behind the lens.