Ian Berry, Magnum Photographer Who Documented Sharpeville Massacre, Dies at 92

Ian Berry, a British documentary photographer renowned for his pivotal images of the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, passed away on 13 September at the age of 92. On 21 March 1960, while working for Drum magazine in the South African township, he captured the moment police opened fire on a large group of demonstrators. Although Drum's owner opted not to publish the photographs due to fears of repercussions, Berry sent them to a London agency, leading to their publication in LIFE and Paris Match. These images later served as crucial evidence in court, helping to clear protesters accused of affray, with Berry testifying as a white witness to the use of rapid-fire weapons. Official reports indicated 69 fatalities and 180 injuries, but a 2023 study revealed at least 91 deaths and approximately 238 injuries. Berry became a Magnum member in 1962 and was The Observer's inaugural contract photographer, covering conflicts in regions like Northern Ireland, Vietnam, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as famine in Ethiopia. He published The English in 1978, backed by the first Arts Council grant awarded to a photographer, and released Water with GOST in 2023 after 15 years of effort. Just over a week before his passing, The Guardian noted that three survivors injured in Sharpeville were suing the South African government for compensation, coinciding with the republishing of his images.