Born in Kansas City, Landsmark moved to East Harlem, New York, before beginning his schooling.

[3] Landsmark has received fellowships from the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts and the National Science Foundation.

[4] Landsmark is widely known for being the subject of the famed photograph The Soiling of Old Glory taken by photojournalist Stanley Forman that won the 1977 Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography.

It depicts a young white teenager, Joseph Rakes, assaulting Landsmark with a flagpole holding the American flag.

Initially, Landsmark was working primarily to assist minority contractors in getting opportunities the construction industry.