A native Memphian, Don Newman was a professional photographer. His work is considered to be of great historical significance and is maintained by Memphis Heritage. Newman was born in 1919 and graduated from Tech High School in 1937. Shortly after graduating, he began working for the commercial and industrial photographer George Haley. In 1939 Don married Bertha Mae, to whom he was married until he passed away in 1994.

Newman worked briefly as a photographer for the Memphis Engraving Company, and then for Frank Hitchings, whom he eventually bought out with Jack Fury after Hitchings’ retirement.

“His work was all by hand,” Bertha remembers of her husband. “He took pictures, developed the film, and did the printing himself. He had a good life. It was an interesting life, and he liked that.” Photography in Newman’s time was a demanding craft. Practicing his art before the invention of digital memory cards and lightweight space-age plastics, Newman’s photography demanded willpower and dedication as he lugged an 80-pound tripod, a 25-pound view camera, and 10 film holders around Downtown Memphis. Newman’s efforts have helped capture Memphis landmarks — those that have vanished from the landscape and those that have remained a constant backdrop to social change — and shine a light on the city’s history.