René Magritte at MoMA, 1954

American photographer Steve Schapiro (1934-2022) was born and raised in New York City and discovered photography at age 9. The photojournalist is often celebrated for his work documenting the American Civil Rights Movement and the Selma to Montgomery march. LIFE Magazine commissioned Schapiro to photograph the unfolding tragedy in Memphis after Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. Although typically associated with civil justice documentary work, Schapiro also produced many iconic portraits of figures such as Samuel Beckett, David Bowie, Muhammad Ali, and more, all of which appear in his book Heroes (2007). Steve Schapiro also produced images from films like The Godfather and Taxi Driver, working as a set photographer throughout production.