(WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 23, 2019) – The White House News Photographers Association® announced that they will present Margaret Thomas, PhD, a photographer formerly of The Washington Post, with the association’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 ‘Eyes of History®’ annual awards gala Saturday, June 15, 2019, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC.
Thomas became the first female photojournalist at The Washington Post in 1966 and worked there for nearly three decades before earning her doctorate in photojournalism from the University of Texas in 2007. She was the WHNPA’s Still Photographer of the Year in 1987.
Thomas reacted to being selected by saying, “Never in my wildest dreams would I have even considered receiving such an honor. To say the news excites me is an understatement. For me, photojournalism isn’t a job, it’s a gift and a special calling.”
Whitney Shefte, WHNPA president, commented about the award, “The board is so pleased to honor a woman who paved the way for so many others, myself included, to work behind the camera at news organizations.”
The top winners of the still, video, multimedia and student contests will be honored at the annual ‘Eyes of History®’ gala on June 15, 2019, at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington. The black-tie event celebrates all the winning photojournalists and the President of the United States. Nearly 1,000 guests, including government dignitaries and industry celebrities, attend.
The White House News Photographers Association is a 98-year-old non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the efforts of Washington’s professional photojournalists. The WHNPA aims to provide professional and educational outreach to its members and the community through scholarships, programming, an annual competition and a celebration of the industry at the annual “Eyes of History®” gala.
For more information, please contact Whitney Shefte at president@54.85.141.172 or executive director Heidi Elswick at heidi@54.85.141.172. For further information about ‘The Eyes of History®’ and to view the winning images and videos, visit the WHNPA website at www.whnpa.org.
