Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
Joe Daniels was a highly respected figure in the local Black press, known for his five decades of impactful photography with the Carolina Peacemaker. As we remember him, it’s essential to honor the enduring legacy he leaves behind and the profound mark he made on the community. Former and current colleagues offer heartfelt condolences and express the ways in which he has impacted them.
“I met Joe in 1981 when I was a student at N.C. A&T studying photography and Joe was a photographer for the Carolina Peacemaker. We had a problem where the pictures of Black folks were coming out too dark in black and white photos. We worked on that together. That was one of our missions. We started in the darkroom from processing film in black and white, and then later into color. Then years later we went to digital. It was a constant growth. He was my mentor. He was always right there. There were no automatic cameras back then. Everything was done manually. He taught me how to get in the right position to photograph the N.C. A&T football players as they entered the dome and the first thing that I had to learn was patience. He taught me patience. He always had the time to guide and help other photographers that were learning. When it comes to my photography skills, I can’t thank him enough.”- Wade Nash, photographer
“I met Joe through shooting football games together. Joe was a great person, a mentor to me and also like a second father. He definitely got me into some spaces that I had never been in when it came to photography. He was always caring, asking me about my family, and inviting me to his home for the holidays. I hate that he’s gone, I am definitely going to miss him. I could lean on him for advice, and he looked out for me. He introduced me to Mrs. Kilimanjaro at the Carolina Peacemaker, and I would then go on to freelance for the newspaper. People who didn’t know Joe might think he was mean, but he wasn’t. I would say that Joe was a straight shooter. I appreciated that. That was Joe’s way of showing that he cared, and he wanted to see you do well and not become complacent with your work. Every experience I had with Joe was always good.”- Kevin Dorsey, Sports photographer at N.C. A&T
“Joe and I became friends when I was employed at the Carolina Peacemaker. At the time I was a graphic designer. I remember when I first saw him, I was intimidated. He came in with such dominance and confidence. His deep voice added to that feeling of intimidation as well, but I learned he was one of the most caring individuals you could ever meet. Eventually years passed, I became a photographer but had lost touch with Joe. One night at a football game with Smith High school I saw him and reminded him who I was, he immediately remembered and started talking about photography and some of the tricks he used to make things work for him on the field. We continued to run into each other on occasion and we just picked up where we left off. I learned from Joe that everyone that has a camera is not a photographer, it takes skill, not being afraid to get your shot, and you definitely can’t be lazy. He was respected by many of his peers in the industry. I will miss him.” - Toni Shaw, photographer
“Moving from D.C. to Greensboro, Joe took me under his wing and allowed me to watch a true professional at his craft. We drove together to probably the first 20 or so Panthers games at home, only to come back to the Peacemaker, and him teach me the ropes of the dark room. He is and truly will be missed by all! My friend, my mentor.” - Tony Oates, Sports Photographer
“I think the one thing that everyone would tell you about Joe is that he was warm and engaging. He was a genuine guy who was always willing to help you in any way that he could. Years ago, when I had just moved to Greensboro with my two kids, and needed some help, Joe didn’t hesitate to look out for me. He fed me and my two kids, every day, for a month. That was the kind of person Joe was. We have been friends for over 40 years, and we have had a great working relationship as well. He is really going to be missed.” - Lut Williams, publisher, The Black Sports Page
“Joe was truly an icon in this industry. Even though he worked for what was considered a small weekly newspaper, he was universally respected by every media person in this town. And how could he not be? He had such tremendous talent, a kind spirit and a true passion for his craft. Joe was always at the scene at the events that mattered most to our community. Some were big like NFL games and NCAA basketball tournaments, and some were small like local art festivals or a youth football scrimmage. But if you wanted to get a real idea of what it felt like to be at those events, Joe always had you covered with his amazing camera work. I will miss my friend Joe and the random phone calls he made to see if I could write a story for something interesting that was happening in the area that weekend. Even if I couldn’t make it, I knew Joe would still be there to capture all the images and tell the story his own way. He always had it covered. What a great man. What a great life.” - Semaj Marsh, Carolina Peacemaker sports contributor
“Joe’s photographic expertise has to be undisputed throughout the country as he honed his skills by way of the Carolina Peacemaker shortly after attending North Carolina Central University. I remember him printing pictures in the early 70s within our various dark rooms and progressing to serving as our Sports Director and covering, high school, college and several NFL games. He will most definitely be missed.” - Sybil Kilimanjaro, former Carolina Peacemaker manager
“I have had the privilege of working alongside Joe as part of the Carolina Peacemaker’s team for the last 15 years, covering a wide range of events. As a new reporter, he took time to teach me how to capture the best photos for my stories and collaborated with me to make sure that I had all the necessary information I needed to produce a great article. His partnership while in the field helped nurture my growth as a journalist and I will truly miss working with him.” – Yasmine Regester, reporter, Carolina Peacemaker
“I have worked more than 40 years in the newspaper business with numerous publications, Joe Daniels was, without a doubt, the best sports photographer I ever worked with.” - Gabriel Fraire, copy editor, Carolina Peacemaker
“Joe Daniels was more than a good photographer he was a good friend. He would help those that needed help at home or on the job. He was there. A good listener and not judgmental. Joe was the kind of person everyone enjoyed being around. There are very few that have a bad word about Joe.” - Vickie Kilimanjaro, Carolina Peacemake, publisher
“I met Joe when I was still in nursery school. Yes, that’s not an exaggeration. He would briskly walk into the Peacemaker offices, then on the fifth floor of the Southeastern Building in downtown Greensboro, with a camera at his side. Joe spent his “work” career as a fireman with the Greensboro Fire Department. While he loved the department, he also loved photography, and he simultaneously cultivated his photographing skills. Many may ask, why would someone stick with something for more than 50 years? It’s because Joe absolutely loved taking pictures. Photography was not work to him. It was his passion.
“I began working with Joe when I was in junior high school. My father gave me the task of editing news copy and writing captions for photographs; mostly for photographs taken by Joe. I knew having a “green gal” like me editing his material might not go over well so I told him, ‘Joe, if you don’t look good, the paper definitely won’t look good, so, let’s get this right.’
“Over the years, I learned the art of photography and I would ask Joe tons of questions about camera settings for shooting action photos, day shots, night shots (photos of fireworks), and so forth. At times, we would tag team large events such as the 400th Anniversary of the City of Hampton, Va., or A&T’s Homecoming. I would shoot the Homecoming Parade and people in the crowd, while Joe would capture the football game and the tailgating festivities. Joe won several National Newspaper Publishers Awards and North Carolina Press Awards for his community and sports photography.
“It was nothing for Joe to cover 4-5 sports events in a weekend or even a day. He became a sports photography institution, a mainstay on the sidelines at a variety of high school, college and professional sporting events. He also became the director of all the photographers during the CIAA Basketball Tournaments.
“I enjoyed talking about sports and current events with Joe as we, along with other Peacemaker staff members, dined on delicious baked goods like his famous banana pudding or his wife Carolyn’s sweet potato cake. We genuinely had so many fantastic times together.
“Joe was a mentor, an incredible colleague and a true friend. It is hard to say goodbye to someone who has been a mainstay in your life; more than 50 years. Let us just say, I hope to see him again one day with a camera in hand, baseball hat turned backwards, ready to take some great photos.” - Afrique I. Kilimanjaro Editor - Publisher, Carolina Peacemaker
