Louis Hansel Draper (September 24, 1935 – February 18, 2002)[2] was a New York-based American photographer known for his images of Harlem in the 1960s and was founding member of the Kamoinge Workshop.

[4] In addition to his images of everyday people in urban settings, Draper photographed significant artists, intellectuals, and civil rights leaders like Fannie Lou Hamer, John Coltrane, Malcolm X, Miles Davis, and Langston Hughes.

[7] In 1959, Draper created one of his most famous images, Congressional Gathering, a black and white photograph that depicts hanging drapery arranged to resemble Ku Klux Klan hoods.

[8] In addition to his mentoring of younger Kamoinge Workshop photographers, Draper taught at Mercer County Community College in New Jersey beginning in 1982.

[9] In 1963, Draper helped to form the Kamoinge Workshop, a group of African American photographers living in New York who wanted a community of like-minded artists that would provide mutual support and mentorship.