[MUSIC] ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," WE GIVE YOU A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN AT THE REPORTERS COVERING STATE POLITICS AT THE CAPITOL AND UNPACK THEIR EXPERIENCE BEING A PART OF THE LCA.

THEN WE'LL SHARE AN INTERVIEW WITH ICONIC CIVIL RIGHTS NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPHER JIM PEPPLER AND UNPACK SOME OF THE BIGGEST MOMENTS OF HIS CAREER.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW".

[MUSIC] WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

THIS WEEK A SIENA COLLEGE RESEARCH INSTITUTE POLL DELIVERED REVELATIONS ON THE GOVERNOR'S FAVOR ABILITY AND HOW NEW YORKERS ARE APPROACHING SOME OF THE STATE'S TOP ISSUES.

WHILE THE GOVERNOR'S APPROVAL RATING WAS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH JUST LAST MONTH, THE NEW POLL SHOWED A SLIGHT DIP IN HOCHUL'S OVERALL FAVORIBILITY AND JOB APPROVAL.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO NOTE, THAT THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS WHO WERE POLLED SAID THEY BELIEVED THE GOVERNOR WAS HARD-WORKING AND NOT CORRUPT.

AND AMID RISING INFLATION, NEW YORKERS NAMED COST OF LIVING AS THEIR TOP CONCERN.

RUNNER UP WAS THE MIGRANT CRISIS, AS THE STATE CONTINUES TO MITIGATE THE INFLUX OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS.

BUT AS WE KNOW, THINGS ARE ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN POLLING - ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TIME WE'RE IN - WITH BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY AND ELECTIONS FOR STATE LEGISLATURE, CONGRESSIONAL SEATS AND THE PRESIDENT JUST A FEW MONTHS AHEAD.

NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER TOPIC.

AS LAWMAKERS WERE ON A BREAK FROM THE CAPITOL THIS WEEK, WE WANTED TO TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK THE FOURTH WALL AND GIVE YOU AN UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL LOOK AT THE DAILY LIVES OF THOSE COVERING THE NEWSMAKERS.

YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT THE REPORTERS WHO COVER THE STATE CAPITOL ARE PART OF A LONG LEGACY OF A PRESS CORPS, KNOWN AS THE NEW YORK LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION.

MANY OF WHOM HAVE WON AWARDS, BUT ALL HAVE REMAINED COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING THE SPIRIT OF THE LCA.

PRODUCER WILL PEDIGO SPOKE WITH REPORTERS ABOUT THEIR WORK AT THE CAPITOL AND HOW THE LCA HAS SHAPED THEIR EXPERIENCE.

HERE'S THAT STORY.

WE'RE HERE OUTSIDE OF THE LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION PRESS ROOM INSIDE THE NEW YORK CAPITOL.

THE NEW YORK LCA IS THE LONGEST RUNNING GROUP THAT COVERS A CAPITOL IN THE NATION, INCLUDING THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORPS.

NOW THIS ROOM HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 1890 BUT THE REPORTERS INSIDE AND THE WAY THEY REPORT HAS CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY.

BUT THE MISSION OF THE LCA REMAINS THE SAME, TO INFORM THE PUBLIC, TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY, AND HOLD PEOPLE IN POWER TO ACCOUNT.

BUT WHAT DOES THE DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE LCA LOOK LIKE.

WE'LL UNPACK THAT.

AND I'M PROUD TO CAST MY VOTE...

NORMALLY THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN NEW YORK RUNS FROM JANUARY TO JUNE.

ONCE THE CALENDAR IS SET, BUSIEST DAYS AT THE STATE CAPITOL ARE SESSION DAYS, BUT THERE ARE REPORTERS WHO WORK OUT OF THE LCA MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ALL YEAR LONG.

HI, I'M DAVE LOMBARDO.

I'M HOST OF WCNY'S CAPITOL PRESS ROOM, A DAILY PUBLIC RADIO SHOW BROADCASTING RIGHT HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE CAPITOL PRESS ROOM, AND RETURNING OUR ATTENTION TO UPKEEP AND MANAGEMENT OF NEW YORK'S LOCAL ROADS -- BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION, AT LEAST WHEN LAWMAKERS ARE HERE, IS IMPORTANT FOR ME FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

AND ONE MEANS I ACTUALLY GET TO HAVE LAWMAKERS SITTING IN THE STUDIO WITH US.

THAT JUST MAKES FOR A BETTER INTERVIEW WHEN YOU CAN MAKE THAT EYE CONTACT AND YOU CAN HAVE A RAPPORT WITH SOMEONE, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO HAVE A PRESENCE HERE BECAUSE I'M ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE OFF THE MIC AS WELL.

I'M DEVELOPING AND NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR MORE THAN A DECADE THAT I'VE BEEN HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL, AND IT'S ALSO JUST FUN TO BE PART OF HISTORY WHEN IT HAPPENS HERE BUT ALSO THE MORE RELAXED MOMENTS WHEN I CAN JUST BE HANGING OUT WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED AS A REPORTER AS AN INTERN ACTUALLY FOR THE LEGISLATIVE GAZETTE IN 2009, I FELT LIKE A REAL PHONY.

I HAD REAL CASE OF IMPOSTER SYNDROME.

AND PROBABLY RIGHTFULLY SO SINCE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

AND AT THE TIME -- AND FOR YEARS AFTER THAT -- I REALLY LOOKED UP TO THE PEOPLE WHO COVERED THE CAPITOL, THE PEOPLE WHO MADE UP THE LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION.

I THOUGHT OF THE PEOPLE AT THE TIMES UNION, THE BUREAU AS REALLY THE BEST OF THE BEST SOMETHING TO STRIVE FOR, JIMMY VEAL, CASEY SILER, JIM ODOTTO, RICK CARLIN, THERE WAS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WITH MIKE GORMLEY.

ALL THESE OLD KIND OF INTIMIDATING PEOPLE AND NOW THAT I'M 35 I REALIZE SOME OF THEM WEREN'T THAT OLD THEN AND IT'S AN ARENA THAT'S COMPETITIVE EVERY SINGLE DAY BUT IT'S ALSO ONE THAT IS ABOUT SUPPORTING AND LIFTING UP OUR COLLEAGUES.

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE LCA AND TAKE IT AS A REAL RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY TO KEEP THE WORK GOING ALONG.

ARE PUSHING FOR GOVERNOR HOCHUL'S PROPOSAL TO GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

THERE ARE MANY TALENTED REPORTERS WHERE THE LCA PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP-START THEIR CAREERS IN AN ENVIRONMENT SURROUNDED BY NEWCOMERS AND VETERAN JOURNALISTS ALIKE.

WHEN WE CONDUCTED THIS INTERVIEW WITH RAGA JUSTIN, SHE WAS REPORTING AT THE CAPITOL THROUGH A HEARST FELLOWSHIP.

NOW SHE REPORTS FULL TIME WITH THE TIMES UNION.

MY IDEA OF COMPETING JOURNALISTS AT A STATE CAPITOL HAS ALWAYS BEEN DOG EAT DOG, LIKE THAT'S WHAT I ENVISIONED.

IT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE.

YOU'VE GOT THE POST REPORTER WHO WILL COME AND CHAT, LET YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S WORKING ON, AND PEOPLE FROM TV, FROM THE AP, FROM ANY OF THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE AROUND.

SO I THINK MAYBE THAT HAS BEEN A PLEASANT SURPRISE, JUST TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER JOURNALISTS ON KIND OF A PERSON-TO-PERSON LEVEL AND NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ON YOUR PROFESSIONAL GUARD ALL THE TIME.

WHEN I WRITE MY STORIES, I THINK OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CAPITAL REGION.

THAT'S OUR PRIMARY COVERAGE AREA.

WE WRITE A LOT ABOUT THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT WORKFORCE, AGENCIES, THINGS LIKE THAT, SORT OF THE NITTY-GRITTY, DAY TO DAY OF WHAT STATE GOVERNMENT LOOKS LIKE.

I ACTUALLY THINK THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM TO GROW AND GET PEOPLE MORE ENGAGED IN WHAT WE DO, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE POINT.

THE MORE PEOPLE WE CAN REACH THE BETTER FOR JOURNALISM.

ALL THE PEOPLE FOR THE LCA WORK FOR DIFFERENT NEWS OUTLETS MEANING NO ONE REPORTS FOR THE LCA.

INSTEAD THEY'RE MEMBERS CONNECTED BY THEIR COMMON PURPOSE AND ROLE AND IN A PLAY AS INFLUENTIAL AS THE NEW YORK STATE CAPITOL, BEING PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION IS PART OF HISTORY.

IT'S EASY TO FORGET AT TIMES IN THE HUSTLE BUSTLE OF OUR DAY JOBS BUT HISTORY IS ALL AROUND US.

HISTORIC BUILDING.

MANY AMBITIOUS PEOPLE HAVE COME THROUGH HERE, WHETHER THEY WERE POLITICIANS, GUBERNATORIAL OFFICIALS OR JOURNALISTS THEMSELVES, AND SOME OF THE BEST REPORTERS IN THE LCA HAVE THEIR NAMES FOREVER MEMORIALIZED ON THE PLAQUES RIGHT ON THE INSIDE FOR WINNING THE JAY GALLAGHER AWARD, NAMED IN HONOR OF THE LONG-TIME GANNETT CHIEF UP HERE IN THE CAPITOL, A REAL LEGEND OF REPORTING, AS WELL AS THE WALTER T. BROWN AWARD WHICH RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING REPORTING.

THE JAY GALLAGHER AWARD IS JUDGED BY JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK; WHEREAS, THE WALTER T. BROWN AWARD IS JUDGED BY THE ALUMNI OF LCA ITSELF.

GETTING YOUR NAME ON THAT PLAQUE IS THAT RARE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE YOUR MARK ON THE BUILDING ITSELF IN WAYS THAT MOST PEOPLE, DESPITE THEIR AMBITIONS, DESPITE ALL THE HARD WORK THEY DO FOR WHATEVER CAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST NEVER HAVE THAT CHANCE.

ROBERT CARO, ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS JOURNALISTS IN AMERICA, WORKED FOR A YEAR HERE IN THE LCA.

AND WHILE THERE'S A HISTORIC DISPLAY ABOUT SOME OF HIS WORK, HE'S BEST KNOWN FOR WRITING THE "POWER BROKER" ABOUT ROBERT MOSES MANY YEARS AGO.

HE DOESN'T HAVE HIS NAME ON THAT WALL.

SO THE JOURNALISTS THAT DO, I BELIEVE, RIGHTFULLY FEEL VERY PROUD OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENT TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THEIR COLLEAGUES AS PRODUCING THE BEST WORK FROM THE LCA EACH YEAR.

LEAVING YOUR MARK ON THE LCA ISN'T ONLY ABOUT THE ARTICLES YOU WRITE, THE STORIES YOU TELL, OR THE PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU CHANGE THROUGH YOUR REPORTING.

PART OF THE LCA IS ABOUT CAMARADERIE AND CONTRIBUTING TO A LEGACY OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY THAT EXTENDS BEYOND YOUR TIME IN THE ROOM.

MORE THAN JUST A JOB, JOURNALISM IS A CALLING.

WHEN THAT JOB IS CHALLENGING, THEY LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER.

ALBANY, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.

YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO COVER, WHAT YOU CAN'T COVER, WHAT YOU HAVE TO SET UP.

IT TAKES A LOT MORE ORGANIZATION AND YOU HAVE TO REALLY WORK SOURCES ALL THE TIME.

PARTLY BECAUSE SOURCES ARE COMING AND GOING ALL THE TIME.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIND NEW PEOPLE, NEW PERSPECTIVES, TRY TO GET THE PICTURE OF THE STORY AS COMPLETE AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE PEOPLE IN POWER WHO HAVE THESE PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFFS WHO CAN TRY TO DIRECT WHAT THE NEWS IS.

YOU HAVE TO RESIST THAT AND PROVIDE THE NEWS IN A FORMAT AND IN A THOROUGH WAY THAT THE PUBLIC CAN USE TO MAKE THEIR DECISIONS ABOUT HOW THEY WANT THEIR STATE TO BE RUN OR HOW THEY WANT THEIR COMMUNITY TO BE RUN.

LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WORK IN ALBANY, WE'VE HAD CHANCES TO GO TO WASHINGTON.

AND YOU KNOW ALBANY IS REALLY -- IT'S CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE.

IT'S A FASCINATING PLACE.

BUT A REPORTER CAN REALLY GET A LOT MORE DONE IN ALBANY, CAN EFFECT REAL CHANGE, FIND AN ISSUE THAT HASN'T BEEN LOOKED AT, GIVE IT SOME EXPOSURE, LET THE PUBLIC FIGURE OUT HOW THEY WANT TO DEAL WITH IT, BUT IN ALBANY YOU CAN REALLY MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE.

WITHIN THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CORPS, NEW YORK'S LEGISLATIVE CORRESPONDENTS ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS, THE SYMBOLIC LEADER IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE DEAN.

THE DEAN IS TYPICALLY A VETERAN JOURNALIST THAT EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF THE CORPS.

TO ME JAY GALLAGHER, WHO DIED A FEW YEARS AGO, HE WAS A GANNETT NEWS SERVICE CHIEF, HE WAS THE EPITOME OF WHAT A DEAN IS BECAUSE HE WAS RESPECTED BY EVERYONE.

HE WORKED REALLY HARD BUT HE WAS NOT ARROGANT.

HE WAS NOT A PRIMADONNA AT ALL.

SUDDENLY IT CAME BACK ON TAXPAYERS TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.

HE ALWAYS ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION AT EVERY PRESS CONFERENCE.

I REMEMBER THIS, HE GOES WHEN GOVERNORS WOULD GO ON ABOUT HOW GREAT THEIR PROGRAM WAS, HE WOULD ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION, HOW MUCH WOULD THIS COST?

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT REPORTERS SHOULD BE ASKING OF GOVERNMENT BECAUSE TAXPAYERS WANT TO KNOW.

AND JAY WAS GREAT AT THAT STUFF.

WHILE JAY GALLAGHER'S NAME WILL FOREVER REMAIN A BEACON LIGHT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF LCA REPORTERS THROUGH THE JAY GALLAGHER AWARD, THE LCA HAS A NEW DEAN, ACCORDING TO MICHAEL GORMLEY.

I THINK THAT'S KAREN DEWITT I THINK SHE DESERVES THAT.

IF ANYONE ASKS ME WHO THE DEAN IS, I WOULD SAY KAREN DEWITT, THE HEAD OF PUBLIC RADIO.

I'VE HAD THE JOB OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING AT STATIONS ACROSS THE STATE SINCE 1990.

IT'S BEEN AN AWESOME CAREER TO HAVE, AND WHAT'S FUN ABOUT WORKING AT THE CAPITOL, SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE IT'S ENTERTAINMENT JUST FOR REPORTERS.

THE POLITICIANS ARE ACTING OUT WITH THEIR SPEECHES, FIGHTING WITH ONE ANOTHER, POSTURING.

YOU HAVE LOBBYISTS COME UP TO YOU, STAFF MEMBERS, EVEN ACTUAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO COME HERE IN GROUPS TO ADVOCATE FOR A PARTICULAR ISSUE, AND, YEAH, IT'S JUST LIKE A WEALTH OF PEOPLE AND IMPORTANT ISSUES AND I GET TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

WHAT COULD BE MORE FUN?

TO ME, NOTHING.

AS THE DAY WINDS DOWN AT THE NEW YORK STATE CAPITOL SESSION ENDS, LAWMAKERS GO HOME AND DEADLINES APPROACH FOR REPORTERS.

FOR REPORTERS LIKE ELISE CLINE, THE END OF THE DAY IS SHOW TIME.

THE STATE BUDGET...

THE LIVE HITS ARE TOWARDS THE END OF MY DAY.

THAT'S BASICALLY WHEN MY STORY IS TOTALLY WRAPPED UP.

I HAVE THE PACKAGE ALL READY TO GO.

MY PRODUCERS HAVE IT, AND I'M BASICALLY FRONTING THE PACKAGE.

IT'S A MOMENT LIKE A PERFORMANCE WHERE I GET TO SHOW ALL THE WORK THAT I'VE PUT IN THROUGHOUT THE DAY, WHICH IS A LOT.

I PUT IN A LOT OF WORK INTO MY STORIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY EXCITING.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT BEING A CAPITOL REPORTER IS YOU GET TO REPORT ON POLICIES THAT IMPACT SO MANY PEOPLE, AND I GET TO INTERVIEW LAWMAKERS, WHEN PEOPLE COME IN FOR RALLIES OR PRESS CONFERENCES, I GET TO TALK TO REAL PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THESE POLICIES, BY THE FUNDING THAT GOES THROUGH THE BUDGET.

AND I THINK ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT BEING A REPORTER IS YOU GET TO MEET SO MANY COOL PEOPLE AND IT GIVES YOU SUCH A GREAT PERSPECTIVE ON REALLY WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ALIVE.

AND THE REPORTERS AT THE STATE CAPITOL WILL CONTINUE TO REPORT ON THE BIGGEST POLITICAL NEWS AND POLICY ISSUES THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND IN THE YEARS TO COME.

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LCA ON OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

AND NOW, WE HAVE ANOTHER SPECIAL STORY TO SHARE.

LAST SUMMER, WE MET ALABAMA-BASED HISTORIAN AND FILMMAKER THEO MOORE.

MOORE SPECIALIZES IN THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SOUTH AND PRESERVING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH HIS NON-PROFIT, HIZ-TORICAL VISION PRODUCTIONS.

IN 2023, THEO MOORE WAS SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PBS IGNITE MENTORSHIP FOR DIVERSE VOICES INITIATIVE AND IT IS THROUGH THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WERE INTRODUCED.

WE LEARNED OF A NEW YORK CONNECTION IN THEO MOORE'S WORK INVOLVING ICONIC PHOTOJOURNALIST JIM PEPPLER.

THE COURIER WAS STARTED BY A CREW FROM HARVARD THAT WORKED ON THE HARVARD CRIMSON.

PEPPLER DOCUMENTED MUCH OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN ALABAMA THROUGH HIS WORK WITH THE SOUTHERN COURIER.

LATER, HE WENT ON TO SERVE FOR 38 YEARS WITH NEWSDAY.

"NEW YORK NOW" PARTNERED WITH HIZ-TORICAL VISION PRODUCTIONS TO BRING YOU JIM PEPPLER'S STORY, WHICH WAS PRODUCED BY THEO MOORE.

TAKE A LOOK.

THE COURIER WAS STARTED BY A CREW FROM HARVARD THAT WORKED ON THE HARVARD CRIMSON.

SO THEY WERE HARVARD JOURNALISTS SORT OF.

THEY HAD WITNESSED ON THEIR TRIPS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT INCLUDING THE SELMA MONTGOMERY MARCH AND ALL THAT STUFF, THEY NOTICED THAT THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS IN THE SOUTH, THE MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER, THEY HAD ONE PAGE, THE LAST PAGE IN THE PAPER.

ON THE LAST PAGE IN THE PAPER, ONE COLUMN ON THE LAST PAGE, WAS ENTITLED NEWS OF OUR COLORED SUBSCRIBERS.

THAT WAS THE EXTENT THAT THEY PAID ANY ATTENTION TO ANYBODY OF COLOR LIVING IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, THE STATE CAPITAL.

SO THEY HAD THIS IDEA THEY WOULD START A PAPER.

IT WOULD BE A WEEKLY, AND THEY WOULD RUN IT FOR LIKE THREE MONTHS DURING WHICH TIME THEY WOULD FIND LOCAL PEOPLE TO TAKE -- THEY WOULD TRAIN LOCAL PEOPLE TO TAKE OVER THEIR JOBS AND THEY'D GO OFF TO THEIR CAREERS.

THEIR HARVARD CAREERS THEY FOUND DIFFICULTY FINDING LOCAL PEOPLE THAT WOULD TAKE THE JOBS BECAUSE EVEN IF THEY WERE JUST HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, THEY WERE SUBJECT TO RETRIBUTION FROM THE KLAN AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT MIGHT HIT THEIR FAMILIES.

THEY COULDN'T RISK THEIR FAMILIES.

THEY WERE WILLING TO RISK THEMSELVES, BUT RISKING THEIR FAMILY WAS A BIG STEP.

SO THEY COULDN'T FIND LOCAL PEOPLE THAT WOULD STEP IN, AND THEY HAD A WHOLE STAFF ALL OVER ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI AND GEORGIA.

SO THE COURIER SAID ANOTHER THREE MONTHS AND THEY REALIZED WE NEED TO BE HERE.

WE NEED TO STAY AND BE THE CADRE, KEEPING THE PAPER TOGETHER.

AND AS WE CAN, WE'LL FIND LOCAL PEOPLE TO HELP OUT AS WE CAN FIND PEOPLE WILLING TO TAKE THESE RISKS.

WE STRIVE TO BE HONEST.

WE STRIVE TO BE OBJECTIVE, NOT TAKING SIDES ON AN ISSUE REPORTING THE FACTS, OUR JOURNALISTS -- JOURNALIST CREDO, TELL THE FACTS AND WITH A CONNECTION TO LOCAL PEOPLE GAVE US A SENSE OF BEING THE PEOPLE'S EYES, THE PEOPLE'S EARS, THE PEOPLE'S WITNESS.

THE READERS WITNESS.

THE FOLKS.

WE WERE THERE TO WITNESS FOR THEM, FOR EVERYBODY.

WHATEVER YOU'RE LABELING, WE WERE THERE TO WITNESS FOR EVERYBODY OBJECTIVELY.

SO ANYBODY COULD READ OUR PAPER AND REALIZE IT WAS THE TRUTH.

SO THEY WERE GOING TO SETTLE IN ATLANTA, AND I WAS TO BECOME PART OF THE MONTGOMERY BUREAU MYSELF AND A FELLOW NAMED JEFF FALLOW, WE WERE GOING TO START IN SELMA COVER THE SELMA AREA.

THEY DIVIDED THE STATES UP INTO AREAS, TWO OR THREE COUNTIES EACH, WITH A REPORTER IN EACH ONE, AND I WAS THE PHOTOGRAPHER, I WOULD BOUNCE AROUND ALL OVER, AND JEFF WOULD BE THE REPORTER.

WE WORKED SELMA FOR A LITTLE BIT.

AND FOR WHATEVER REASONS, THE PLACE THAT WAS HOUSING US IN SELMA DIDN'T WANT US THERE.

THEY SAID YOU'RE OUT OF HERE.

SO WE MOVED TO MONTGOMERY.

CLIFFORD AND VIRGINIA DURR, THEY GAVE US A PLACE TO STAY.

THEY HAD AN APARTMENT ABOVE IN THEIR HOUSE, IN THE UPSTAIRS WAS TWO APARTMENTS.

ONE BECAME THE DARK ROOM FOR THE COURIER AND THE OTHER BECAME THE LIVING QUARTERS FOR MYSELF.

AMY, BLESS HER HEART, WITH MY LITTLE BABY DAUGHTER, ROBIN, DECIDED SHE WOULD COME DOWN AND LIVE WITH US IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

SHE WENT TO WORK FOR THE COURIER AS WELL.

[MUSIC] THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN PRATTVILLE, ALABAMA, WHEN STUDENTS AT THE AUTAUGA COUNTY TRAINING SCHOOL WERE PROTESTING THEIR TREATMENT AND ALL THE RACISM, WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THEY WENT MARCHING THROUGH DOWNTOWN PRATTVILLE CARRYING THESE SIGNS, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT LITERALLY, ALONE, NO PROTECTION, JUST THEM.

AND THE SYMBOLISM OF IT, IT SPOKE OF THE COURAGE IT TOOK FOR THEM AND TO SOME EXTENT THE RESTRAINT THAT WAS BEING SHOWN BY THE PEOPLE THEY WERE WALKING PASSED, AND I'VE ALWAYS INTERPRETED -- I MAY OR MAY NOT BE RIGHT -- THE FACT THAT I WAS STANDING THERE WITH A CAMERA WAS SOMETIMES, POSSIBLY THIS TIME, A REASON THAT NOTHING HAPPENED TO THE PEOPLE I WAS PHOTOGRAPHING.

[MUSIC] I HAVE SOME VERY SAD NEWS FOR ALL OF YOU, AND I THINK SAD NEWS FOR ALL OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS AND PEOPLE WHO LOVE PEACE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND THAT IS THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS SHOT AND KILLED TONIGHT IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

[SCREAMING] MARTIN LUTHER KING DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO LOVE AND TO JUSTICE BETWEEN FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.

HE DIED IN THE CAUSE OF THAT EFFORT.

ON THIS DIFFICULT DAY, THIS DIFFICULT TIME FOR THE UNITED STATES, IT'S PERHAPS WELL TO ASK WHAT KIND OF A NATION WE ARE, WHAT DIRECTION WE WANT TO MOVE IN.

THEY KILLED DR. KING.

I COULD CRY NOW, BUT WHEN WE HEARD THE NEWS ON THE RADIO, THE PERSON I WAS WITH, WE WERE IN A CAR, WE JUST SAT AND CRIED AND CRIED AND CRIED.

AND I COVERED HIS FUNERAL.

AND IT WAS AMONG THE LAST THINGS I DID FOR THE COURIER WAS COVERING HIS FUNERAL.

AND I GAVE IT MY BEST SHOT.

I COVERED THE DAYLIGHTS OUT OF WHAT I COULD GET TO OF HIS FUNERAL GIVEN THAT I'M RUNNING AROUND ON FOOT.

I GOT A PICTURE OF WILT CHAMBERLAIN WALKING ALONG IN CONVERSATION WITH RICHARD NIXON I MEAN, COME ON.

HI, WILT.

AND BOBBY KENNEDY WAS THERE, AND I GOT A SHOT THROUGH THE WINDOW.

I HAVE A PICTURE OF, REFLECTION OF ME TAKING A PICTURE OF HIM INSIDE THE CAR, AND THAT'S ONE OF MY PICTURES OF ME WITH BOBBY KENNEDY.

AND I PHOTOGRAPHED BOBBY KENNEDY WHEN HE WAS IN MISSISSIPPI WITH HEARINGS, AND I'VE HAD A SENSE OF HIM AS A PERSON.

SOMETHING VERY REAL ABOUT HIM.

I HAD PHOTOGRAPHED HIM AT THE FUNERAL.

WE CAME BACK, EDITED THE FUNERAL PICTURES AND WHATNOT, AND IT WAS -- I'M NOT SURE, WEEKS OR SOON AFTER THAT, THAT HE WAS KILLED.

AND THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW.

WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR THAT HOUR, VERY QUICKLY, I CALLED NEWSDAY AND SAID ARE YOU READY FOR ME?

THEY SAID COME ON UP.

I WAS ON THE ROAD, LEFT MY WIFE, AT THAT .2 CHILDREN, IN MONTGOMERY TO GO TO WORK AT NEWSDAY.

[MUSIC] YOU TAKE A PICTURE, WHO DOES THE PICTURE BELONG TO?

I WAS NEVER INTO -- I WAS ALWAYS INTO TRYING TO MAKE THE PICTURE COMMUNICATE AS MUCH AS I COULD SEE IN THE MOMENT, IN THE PERSON, THE SITUATION, THAT I THOUGHT PEOPLE -- WHAT I FELT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET IN THERE, YOU KNOW?

OLD AXIOM OF PHOTOGRAPHY YOU CROP OUT WHAT DOESN'T SPEAK TO YOU AND LEAVE IN EVERYTHING THAT DOES.

GUT IT DOWN TO WHAT TELLS THE STORY THAT YOU WITNESSED AND YOU DO IT.

BUT THE OTHER PART OF IT IS THAT I'M THERE WITNESSING FOR THE WORLD BUT ALSO WITNESSING FOR THE PEOPLE I'M PHOTOGRAPHING.

IF I'M TAKING YOUR PICTURE, THE PICTURE BELONGS TO YOU.

IT'S YOU.

WHAT I'M SEEING HERE MIGHT BE RECORDING A MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE, A FEELING YOU'RE HAVING, BUT IT'S YOU.

SO I ALWAYS FELT THAT MY PICTURES REALLY BELONGED TO THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS PHOTOGRAPHING, NOT THE EDITORS, NOT THE READERS, NOT THE UNIVERSE, NOT ME, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I'M PHOTOGRAPHING.

IT'S THEIR PICTURE.

IF THEY SAW THIS, THEY SAY THAT'S ME!

THAT'S MY PICTURE!

I ALWAYS FELT THEY BELONGED TO THE PEOPLE.

AND I HAD THIS BOX OF NEGATIVES OF PICTURES I HAD TAKEN OF PEOPLE ANYWHERE BUT DEFINITELY THE SOUTH AND WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO WITH THEM?

AND LIFE EVENTS LED ME TO CONNECT WITH THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY, AND THAT'S WHERE THE PICTURES BELONG.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEO MOORE AND TO SEE JIM PEPPLER'S COLLECTION OF PHOTOS FROM HIS TIME REPORTING ON THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

AGAIN THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EPISODE OF "NEW YORK NOW".

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[MUSIC] FUNDING FOR NEW YORK NOW IS PROVIDED BY WNET.