LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Milton Rogovin, renowned
photographer and distinguished citizen

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great
State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin of Buffalo, New York, died on January 18,
2011, at the age of 101; and
WHEREAS, World renowned photographer Milton Rogovin was born in New
York City in 1909, the third son of Jacob and Dora Rogovin; in 1931, he
graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Science degree in
optometry; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin moved to Buffalo, New York, in 1938, to estab-
lish his own optometric practice and provided service to many of the
City's union members; and
WHEREAS, In 1939, Milton Rogovin became a charter member of the United
Optical Workers Local Industrial Union 951 of the Congress of Industrial
Organizations (CIO); and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin married Anne Snetsky on April 7, 1942, and
together they had two wonderful daughters, Ellen and Paula, and one
loving son, Mark; and
WHEREAS, The same year of their marriage, Milton Rogovin purchased his
first camera, and was inducted into the United States Army, where he
served in England as an optometrist, until 1945 when he returned to his
family and his optometric office; and
WHEREAS, In 1961, Milton Rogovin began photographing Buffalo's East
Side community including its storefront churches, and later published
these photographs as the Storefront Church series in APERTURE magazine
with an introduction by the eminent sociologist and civil rights leader
W.E.B. DuBois; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin continued his education and earned a Master of
Arts degree in American Studies from the University of Buffalo in 1972,
where he also taught documentary photography until 1974; and
WHEREAS, In 1972, at the age of 63, Milton Rogovin, with the assist-
ance of his wife, Anne, began photographing Buffalo's Lower West Side,
at the time considered the city's poorest neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Milton and Anne Rogovin returned to the Lower West Side,
creating triptychs and quartets by photographing the same individuals or
families with each visit, resulting in a breathtaking portrait of the
community's Puerto Rican, African American, Native American, Asian and
Italian families over the course of 30 years; and
WHEREAS, This remarkable photographer completed the Lower West Side
series at the incredible age of 92; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin's lens illuminated prominent social issues in
Buffalo and around the world including the plight of the miners in 10
nations, the decline of the steel industry in Buffalo, the common strug-
gle of the poor and working people living in Buffalo's Lower West Side,
the celebration of spirit in the storefront churches of Buffalo, the
Yemeni community of nearby Lackawanna, New York, and the pride of the
people of Chile and the voice of its treasured poet Pablo Neruda; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin's stated sole purpose, as timeless as it is
universal, was to help the viewer see the people in his photographs in a
new light, as people of dignity and strength; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin had an accomplished photographic career with
his work in the permanent collections of over two dozen prominent muse-
ums around the world, including the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, the

Museum of Modern Art in New York, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los
Angeles, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; and
WHEREAS, His work has appeared in over 160 journals, magazines and
other publications, as well as been displayed in more than 30 group
shows and 60 solo exhibitions; furthermore, he had 11 books published on
his photography; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin's defiant work as a champion of the poor and
working class was celebrated at the Library of Congress by its acquisi-
tion of 1,300 of Rogovin's prints, negatives and contact sheets in 1999,
and its acquisition of 20,000 pieces of his correspondence along with
200 photographs taken during World War II to be archived as a national
resource; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin was recognized with a Citizen of Distinction
Award from the City of Buffalo in 1996, the New York State Governor's
Arts Award in 2000, and was named one of the Twentieth Century's "Top
Ten Local Cultural Figures" by THE BUFFALO NEWS; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin distinguished himself in his profession and by
his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of
his community; and
WHEREAS, Milton Rogovin's commitment to excellence, and his spirit of
humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including charita-
ble and civic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit, imbued with a sense of
compassion, and comforted by a loving family, Milton Rogovin leaves
behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will
remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Milton Rogovin, renowned photographer and distin-
guished citizen; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Milton Rogovin.