Don Ultang
Encyclopedia
Don Ultang was an American
Pulitzer Prize
-winning photographer.
Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa
on March 23, 1917, Ultang was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
. He attended the University of Iowa
, earning a degree in economics in 1939. Shortly after his graduation from college, he was hired by the Des Moines Register
. After being hired by The Register, he signed up to participate in a government-funded pilot training program and served in the United States Navy
during World War II
as a flight instructor.
After returning to civilian life, he convinced The Register to purchase a Beechcraft Bonanza
to be used for aerial photography. As the paper's only pilot, he would use the plane to take panoramic photos of news events such as a train wreck or flood from the plane using his Speed Graphix camera. Ultang would fly the plane solo over the target at a few hundred above the ground, keep his plane in a 45 to 50 degree banking turn and about 20 miles per hour above stall speed, briefly release one of his hands from the controls for about five seconds to take the desired sequence of photographs, and retake the controls to circle around for another series of shots.
A portfolio of Ultang's photographs was printed in U.S. Camera, 1954 together with works by Ansel Adams
, in an annual work published by Duell, Sloan and Pearce
. In 1991, the Iowa State University Press published a book of his work, "Holding the Moment: Mid-America at Mid-Century." Ultang retired after 20 years at the Register and took a job at an insurance company. In recognition of his pioneering career, Ultang was inducted into the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame in 1991.
After Ultang retired, and spent his winters in New Mexico
, he began a second career taking nature and landscape photographs until a few years before his death. Ultang died in his sleep on September 18, 2008 aged 91.
for Photography
, the same year that Herman Wouk
won for his novel The Caine Mutiny
. The prize was awarded to recognize a series of images showing a violent on-field assault
against an African American
player during an American college football
game played on October 20, 1951 in Stillwater, Oklahoma
between Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University
and the visiting Drake University
Bulldogs
. White American
player Wilbanks Smith placed a hard hit on Drake's Johnny Bright
, breaking his jaw, in an incident caught in a series of images taken by Ultang that earned national attention when they appeared on the front page of the Register. The event came to be known as the "Johnny Bright Incident
".
Ultang was one of 18 recipients of the 1952 National Headliner Awards
ceremonies held in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, winning in the "Sports action picture" category, together with John Robinson, for their photographs of the "Johnny Bright Slugging".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning photographer.
Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
on March 23, 1917, Ultang was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
. He attended the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, earning a degree in economics in 1939. Shortly after his graduation from college, he was hired by the Des Moines Register
Des Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
. After being hired by The Register, he signed up to participate in a government-funded pilot training program and served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a flight instructor.
After returning to civilian life, he convinced The Register to purchase a Beechcraft Bonanza
Beechcraft Bonanza
The Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by The Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. , it is still being produced by Hawker Beechcraft, and has been in continuous production longer than any other airplane in history...
to be used for aerial photography. As the paper's only pilot, he would use the plane to take panoramic photos of news events such as a train wreck or flood from the plane using his Speed Graphix camera. Ultang would fly the plane solo over the target at a few hundred above the ground, keep his plane in a 45 to 50 degree banking turn and about 20 miles per hour above stall speed, briefly release one of his hands from the controls for about five seconds to take the desired sequence of photographs, and retake the controls to circle around for another series of shots.
A portfolio of Ultang's photographs was printed in U.S. Camera, 1954 together with works by Ansel Adams
Ansel Adams
Ansel Easton Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist, best known for his black-and-white photographs of the American West, especially in Yosemite National Park....
, in an annual work published by Duell, Sloan and Pearce
Duell, Sloan and Pearce
Duell, Sloan and Pearce was a publishing company located in New York City. It was founded in 1939 by C. Halliwell Duell, Samuel Sloan and Charles A. Pearce. It initially published general fiction and non-fiction, but not westerns, light romances or children's books...
. In 1991, the Iowa State University Press published a book of his work, "Holding the Moment: Mid-America at Mid-Century." Ultang retired after 20 years at the Register and took a job at an insurance company. In recognition of his pioneering career, Ultang was inducted into the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame in 1991.
After Ultang retired, and spent his winters in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, he began a second career taking nature and landscape photographs until a few years before his death. Ultang died in his sleep on September 18, 2008 aged 91.
Johnny Bright Incident
In 1952, Ultang and fellow Des Moines Register photographer John Robinson were awarded the 1952 Pulitzer Prize1952 Pulitzer Prize
-Journalism awards:*Public Service:** St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for its investigation and disclosures of widespread corruption in the Internal Revenue Bureau and other departments of the government.*Local Reporting:...
for Photography
Pulitzer Prize for Photography
The Pulitzer Prize for Photography was one of the Pulitzer Prizes. It was awarded from 1942 until 1967. In 1968, it was split into two separate prizes: the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography and the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography .* 1942: Milton Brooks of Detroit News, for his photo...
, the same year that Herman Wouk
Herman Wouk
Herman Wouk is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author of novels including The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War, and War and Remembrance.-Biography:...
won for his novel The Caine Mutiny
The Caine Mutiny
The Caine Mutiny is a 1952 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Herman Wouk. The novel grew out of Wouk's personal experiences aboard a destroyer-minesweeper in the Pacific in World War II and deals with, among other things, the moral and ethical decisions made at sea by the captains of ships...
. The prize was awarded to recognize a series of images showing a violent on-field assault
Violence in sports
Violence in sports refers to physical acts committed in contact sports such as American football, ice hockey, rugby football, soccer, boxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling, and water polo beyond the normal levels of contact expected while playing the sport...
against an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
player during an American college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game played on October 20, 1951 in Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
between Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State Cowboys football
The Oklahoma State Cowboys football program represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater in college football. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference and completes at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Cowboys are led by Mike Gundy, who is in his seventh year as...
and the visiting Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
Bulldogs
Drake Bulldogs
The Drake Bulldogs are the athletic teams of Drake University. Athletic scholarships are offered in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, tennis, and volleyball. However, all football players are walk-ons as Drake does not offer athletic scholarships in that sport...
. White American
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
player Wilbanks Smith placed a hard hit on Drake's Johnny Bright
Johnny Bright
Johnny D. Bright was a professional Canadian football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University...
, breaking his jaw, in an incident caught in a series of images taken by Ultang that earned national attention when they appeared on the front page of the Register. The event came to be known as the "Johnny Bright Incident
Johnny Bright Incident
The "Johnny Bright Incident" was a violent on-field assault against African-American player Johnny Bright by White American player Wilbanks Smith during an American college football game held on October 20, 1951 in Stillwater, Oklahoma...
".
Ultang was one of 18 recipients of the 1952 National Headliner Awards
National Headliner Awards
The National Headliner Awards are a prize given out by Press Club of Atlantic City since 1935. Both broadcast journalism and print journalism are recognized, in separate categories.-External links:*...
ceremonies held in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, winning in the "Sports action picture" category, together with John Robinson, for their photographs of the "Johnny Bright Slugging".