Flip Schulke

Flip Schulke (1930–2008) was an American photojournalist whose celebrated work documented pivotal figures and moments of the mid‑20th century. Raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, he studied journalism at Macalester College, where he honed his documentary instincts before joining the Black Star Picture Agency in 1954.

Over a five‑decade career Schulke shot for Life, National Geographic, and Ebony, capturing leaders such as John F. Kennedy and Fidel Castro. He forged a deep friendship with Martin Luther King Jr. following a chance meeting in 1958, and his 1964 photograph of King with his young son Dexter offers one of the most intimate and enduring portraits of the civil‑rights icon.

Schulke’s archive of more than 11,000 images of the King family is held by the University of Texas, while his broader body of work spans civil‑rights marches, presidential campaigns, and cultural figures. He remained active as a photographer until his death in 2008, leaving behind a legacy of empathy, trust, and unparalleled access to history in the making.