Willie Robert Middlebrook, Jr. (August 11, 1957 in Detroit, MI – May 5, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA) was an American photographer, artist and strong advocate for the African-American community in Los Angeles.
He received many honors during his lifetime, including two Visual Artist Fellowships in photography from the National Endowment for the Arts,[1] and many commissions for public works including the Los Angeles Metro Expo/Crenshaw Station.
[4] The social activism and outreach he made to the Greater Los Angeles community was honored many times, including being awarded a City of Los Angeles Individual Artist Fellowship grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs in 2009.
[3] He even did a stint as a photographer for Time Magazine, having images of the African-American struggle in Los Angeles, mostly published in the European Editions.
[citation needed] As a fine artist, he is best known for his works photographing the African-American people and communities in greater Los Angeles with dignity and respect.