Clifton C. Edom
| Cliff Edom | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 12, 1907 Baylis, Illinois,  USA
|
| Died | January 30, 1991 Branson, Missouri |
| Fields | Photojournalism |
| Institutions | University of Missouri, 1943-1972 |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri, 1946 |
| Known for | "Father of Photojournalism" |
| Notable awards | NPPA's Joseph A. Sprague Award, 1955 |
Clifton Cedric "Cliff" Edom (February 12, 1907 in Baylis, Illinois – January 30, 1991 in Branson, Missouri), often credited as the "Father of Photojournalism", was prolific in the development of photojournalism education.
After receiving a teaching certificate from the Western Illinois State Teachers College, now Western Illinois University, in 1925, Edom attended a Linotype school and worked for several newspapers. He married Vilia Clarissa "Vi" Patefield (1908–2004) on June 30, 1928, and the couple bought the weekly Edgar News in Edgar, Wisconsin, working with it until 1930 when Edom began work with the Wausau Record-Herald in Wausau, Wisconsin.
Five years later, the Edoms with their daughter Verna Mae "Vme", moved to Aurora, Missouri, for Cliff to study under renowned photographer Charles S. Martz at Tasopé and he went on to serve as educational director of TASOPE, the Aurora School of Photo-Engraving, as well as editor of its magazine The Tasope News, later PIX.
In 1943, Frank Luther Mott, dean of the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri at Columbia, recruited Edom to head the new photojournalism sequence. He also enrolled as an undergraduate; teaching classes he wasn't able to take until his junior year, and finally completed his Bachelor of Journalism in 1946.
Edom was prolific in his advancement of photojournalism as a recognized field, including the founding of Kappa Alpha Mu, the National Photojournalism Honors Society on April 20, 1945, and editing with Vi Edom the society's official publication, The National Photojournalist. He also established the News Pictures of the Year Competition and Exhibition, now Pictures of the Year International (POYi), in 1944, incorporating the College Photographer of the Year competition the next year.
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