Archives
Photojournalist John Ficara is always there, in the heart of the story, shooting. He’s been there for the minor dramas and the moments that stop the world in its tracks. He’s been there for the hearings, the performances, the inaugurations and the demonstrations. For the essential work of documenting civic life and democracy. Ficara has always placed himself in exactly the right spot, to capture precisely the right moment. Now, across one-hundred and twenty thousand images, Ficara has brought it all together. His photographic archive reveals the endlessly fascinating churn of a nation and a world creating itself.
This set of extraordinary images begins in the early 70s and runs to the present day. The names alone tell us volumes about Ficara's reach-and the breadth of his experience. Jimmy Carter. Ronald Reagan. George H.W. Bush. Ted Kennedy. Nelson Mandela. Anwar Sadat. Vaclav Havel. Mikhail Gorbachev. Pope John Paul II. Leonard Bernstein. Yitzhak Rabin. Jonas Savimbi. Margaret Thatcher. And so many more.
The places he has traveled tell us the scale and scope of his work: Egypt, Poland, Thailand, Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sudan, Soviet Union, China, Washington, DC, South Korea. The list goes on.
From presidents and politicians to government officials and athletes. From leaders and newsmakers to media figures, entertainers and scientists. Cultural icons and prominent voices in medicine. Intelligently organized and cataloged, John Ficara's archive is a brilliantly seen and realized chronicle of our lives and times.
The Presidential: sections consist of images from President Carter's, Reagan's, G.H.W. Bush's, and Clinton's administrations. Each presidential collection has sub-categories: Campaigns, speeches, meetings with domestic and foreign leaders, Bill signings, cabinet and staff, trips abroad, and generic images of each president. Images of First Ladies are included in these sections. The Presidential category represents sixty percent of the entire archive.
People in the News: section consists mainly of Washington political persons, Secretaries of federal departments, Congressional leaders, Presidential advisors, and staff. Among this group are Secretaries of State, U.S. Attorney Generals, and Justice Department leaders. This section is organized in alphabetical order.
Presidential Inaugurations: This category houses the formal swearing-in images and inaugural balls, parades, and celebrations surrounding inaugural events. Included in this category are formal portraits of World War II Military honorees invited by President G.W. Bush and the Tuskegee Airmen invited to the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Education: Various images of students in classrooms, education leaders, and noted successful institutions such as the North Carolina School of Math and Science and other institutions.
Capitol Hill: Democratic and Republican Senate and House leadership, committee meetings, and hearings. Series of portraits of GOP Senate and House leadership.
News Media: Various images of White House and Capitol Hill media covering the Federal Government.
Entertainment: Images include Modern Dance, the arts, and Leonard Bernstein.
Demonstrations: Demonstrations covered in Washington, DC. These include Healthcare, Budget Cuts, Abortion Rights, Pro-Life, Pro-Choice, Gay Rights, Pro-Reagan, Anti-Reagan, and more.
Foreign Leaders: Nelson Mandela, Yitzhak Rabin, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Francois Mitterand, Anwar Sadat, Vaclav Havel, Jonas Savimbi, Mikhail Gorbachev, and others.
Pope John Paul II: Visits to the United States, Poland, the Far East, Japan, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
Sports: Seoul Olympics, Calgary Olympics, Barcelona Olympics, Beijing Olympics, Herschel Walker at Georgia, Boxer Larry Holmes, several Super Bowls, and World Series baseball.
Buildings and Monuments: The newly renovated National Airport, the U.S. Capitol during the blizzard of 96, the World Bank, Bangkok's Grand Palace, Camden Yards, are some of the images available in this category.
Religion: Holocaust Service at the U.S. Capitol, Landmark Fundamentalist Baptist Church.
Science and Medicine: Georgetown University Preemie ward, National Institutes of Health Brain Tumor Surgery.
Industry: IBM/MCI purchase, the world's largest computer at Los Alamos, New Mexico, Amtrak Acela Inaugural run, etc.
World News and Events: The funeral of Princess Grace of Monaco, the funeral of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in Cairo, the funeral of Yitzhak Rabin in Jerusalem, NATO Summit Madrid, Desert Shield Saudi Arabia, U.S. Troops Haiti, Solidarity Protests Poland, etc.
Domestic News and Events: The TWA explosion off Long Island and the Air Florida crash in Washington, DC. Healthcare, Medicare, and budget hearings on Capitol Hill, the funeral of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Funeral Washington, DC, and that of hijacking victim Robert Statham.
Specials: Various images used for websites, Smithsonian collections, and Library of Congress Collections.
Military: Pentagon briefings, portraits of several Generals and Secretaries of the Pentagon, the return of the Gulf War troops, West Point Graduation Ceremonies, etc.
Presidential Campaigns Failed: Sen. Bob Dole, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Pat Buchanan, Sen. John Glenn, Ross Perot, VP Al Gore, Jesse Jackson, Cong. Richard Gephardt, Sen. Gary Hart, VP Walter Mondale, Cong. Jack Kemp.
Presidential Debates: Reagan-Mondale, Clinton-Dole, G. H. W. Bush- Dukakis, Kemp-Gore, GOP Primary debates, Democratic Primary Debates.
Political Conventions: GOP and Democratic conventions.
Feature Stories: MIA's, Environment plates (8x10) Color and B/W, DITLO Project, West Point portraits, Twins, Lead Poisoning, Preemie Ward Georgetown Hospital, White Welfare Mothers, Freshman Congress documentaries, Cong. Mezvinsky, Cong. McKinney, Cong. Everett, and others.
Select Hearings: Iran Contra, Ruby Ridge, House Judiciary Impeachment, Anita Hill /Clarence Thomas, Whitewater, Big Tobacco, House FBI, Militia, and more.
Richard Pelletier