Thomas J. Abercrombie
Encyclopedia
Thomas J. Abercrombie was a senior staff writer and photographer for National Geographic, well known for his work on Middle Eastern countries. During his tenure at the Geographic magazine, Abercrombie travelled to all seven continents, becoming the first staff photojournalist to travel to the South Pole in 1956 while providing photographs for Paul Siple's coverage of the first overwinter stay at the South Pole Station. Other notable coverage includes his photographs of Jacques Cousteau and his crew aboard Cousteau's vessel the Calypso and the transit of the first white tiger
from India
to the United States
. Abercrombie was the first Western journalist to cover the Islam
ic pilgrimage to Mecca
in his article Beyond the Sands of Mecca, published 1966.
, Abercrombie started his career at the Fargo Forum and the Milwaukee Journal. His innovative and stunning photographs quickly drew attention and acclaim. By designing an underwater housing (commercially unavailable at the time), Abercrombie pushed the frontiers of photography when he photographed a shipwreck at the bottom of Lake Michigan
. Surreal portraits of wife, Lynn Abercrombie, distorted by reflections in stainless steel cook and house ware were published in Life Magazine. His photograph of a robin straining to extract an earthworm from a dramatically low angle caught the eye of Melville Bell Grosvenor
at the National Geographic. In the 1960's, he converted to Islam
after a working on the pilgrimage to Mecca.
. He had never been abroad before.
As a staff member of National Geographic, Abercrombie was best known for his work in Arab
countries, visited all seven continents, and was one of the first two journalists to reach the South Pole
in 1957 (the other was Rolla J. "Bud" Crick of the Oregon Journal
). Abercrombie was the first person to win both the Newspaper Photographer of the year (1954) and the magazine photographer of the year (1959). He dived with Jacques Cousteau who said it "was like swimming with a fish".
After 1965 Abercrombie frequently covered Saudi Arabia
and he converted to the Muslim
faith, taking the name Omar. He was the magazine's expert on the Middle East
, and reported from Mecca
. He covered the region from Morocco
to Afghanistan
for more than three decades, until he retired in 1994. During his forty years at National Geographic, he published forty stories from all around the world.
. He was fluent in five languages (Arabic, English, German, French, and Spanish).
Abercrombie died at Johns Hopkins Hospital
, Baltimore, Maryland of complications from open-heart surgery. He was survived by his wife, Lynn, and children Mari, executive director
of Windover Art Center, and Bruce, a videographer
.
The August 2006 issue of National Geographic included an Abercrombie tribute article, "A Geographic Life" . In addition, the Abercrombie Crests
of Antarctica are named in his honor.
Abercrombie is also one of four pioneering photographers to be honored in Odysseys and Photographs book published by the National Geographic Society, along with an exhibition at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C. and in London.
White tiger
The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially from the former State of Rewa.-Color comparison:...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Abercrombie was the first Western journalist to cover the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic pilgrimage to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
in his article Beyond the Sands of Mecca, published 1966.
Early life
Born in Stillwater, MinnesotaStillwater, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...
, Abercrombie started his career at the Fargo Forum and the Milwaukee Journal. His innovative and stunning photographs quickly drew attention and acclaim. By designing an underwater housing (commercially unavailable at the time), Abercrombie pushed the frontiers of photography when he photographed a shipwreck at the bottom of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
. Surreal portraits of wife, Lynn Abercrombie, distorted by reflections in stainless steel cook and house ware were published in Life Magazine. His photograph of a robin straining to extract an earthworm from a dramatically low angle caught the eye of Melville Bell Grosvenor
Melville Bell Grosvenor
Melville Bell Grosvenor was the president of the National Geographic Society and editor of National Geographic Magazine from 1957 to 1969...
at the National Geographic. In the 1960's, he converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
after a working on the pilgrimage to Mecca.
National Geographic
He was invited to work at National Geographic, where his first report was from LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. He had never been abroad before.
As a staff member of National Geographic, Abercrombie was best known for his work in Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
countries, visited all seven continents, and was one of the first two journalists to reach the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
in 1957 (the other was Rolla J. "Bud" Crick of the Oregon Journal
Oregon Journal
The Oregon Journal was Portland, Oregon's daily afternoon newspaper from 1902 to 1982. The Journal was founded in Portland by C. S. Jackson, the publisher of Pendleton, Oregon's East Oregonian newspaper, after a group of Portlanders convinced Jackson to help in the reorganization of the Portland...
). Abercrombie was the first person to win both the Newspaper Photographer of the year (1954) and the magazine photographer of the year (1959). He dived with Jacques Cousteau who said it "was like swimming with a fish".
After 1965 Abercrombie frequently covered Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
and he converted to the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
faith, taking the name Omar. He was the magazine's expert on the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and reported from Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. He covered the region from Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
for more than three decades, until he retired in 1994. During his forty years at National Geographic, he published forty stories from all around the world.
Retirement
After retiring from National Geographic in 1993, Abercrombie taught geography at George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
. He was fluent in five languages (Arabic, English, German, French, and Spanish).
Abercrombie died at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins...
, Baltimore, Maryland of complications from open-heart surgery. He was survived by his wife, Lynn, and children Mari, executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of Windover Art Center, and Bruce, a videographer
Videographer
Strictly speaking, a videographer is a person who works in the field of videography, video production — recording moving images and sound on video tape, disk, other electro-mechanical device. News broadcasting relies heavily on live television where videographers engage in electronic news...
.
Legacy
Abercrombie's photojournalism career is documented in the 2004 film, White Tiger: The Adventures of Thomas J. Abercrombie, by filmmaker Patricia A. Leone, Blue Marlin Productions, Progressive IMG and Gabriel Film Group with original music score by Kevin Harkins. The film showed at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival.The August 2006 issue of National Geographic included an Abercrombie tribute article, "A Geographic Life" . In addition, the Abercrombie Crests
Abercrombie Crests
Abercrombie Crests are a cluster of rock summits rising to in the north part of Darley Hills, Churchill Mountains, south-southeast of Mount Deleon. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Thomas J. Abercrombie of the National Geographic Magazine Foreign Editorial Staff, 1957–90, who...
of Antarctica are named in his honor.
Abercrombie is also one of four pioneering photographers to be honored in Odysseys and Photographs book published by the National Geographic Society, along with an exhibition at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C. and in London.