Malcolm Browne Dies 49 Years After Burning Monk Photograph
Nearly 50 years after taking the world-changing image of a monk's self-immolation in South Vietnam, photographer Malcolm Browne has died at age 81 on Monday.
The legendary journalist was rushed to the hospital Monday night after experiencing difficulty breathing, said his wife, Le Lieu Browne, who lives in Thetford, Vt.
Browne was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2000 and spent his last years in a wheelchair.
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During the Buddhist protests against the pro-Catholic Diem regime on June 11, 1963, Browne, then a journalist for the Associated Press, had been alerted to the shocking political protest against South Vietnam's U.S.-supported government.
The photos he took that day appeared on the front pages of newspapers around the world and caused such a strong reaction that President John F. Kennedy was prompted to take action.
In the photo, an elderly monk named Thich Quand Duc, donned in a brown robe and sandals, assumed the lotus position on a cushion in a blocked-off street intersection. It was then, with help from aides, that he doused himself in gasoline and calmly lit himself on fire.
About 500 people watched the monk set himself afire, but Browne's photographs drew worldwide attention and triggered a re-evaluation of the U.S.'s policy in Vietnam.
Browne's career as a journalist spanned four decades, and he spent 30 years of his life with The New York Times, where he often reported from war zones.
Before becoming a journalist, Browne worked as a chemist, and in 1977, became a science writer and served as a senior editor for Discover magazine, but returned to The Times in 1985.
The New York City native earned numerous awards for the photograph of the self-immolation of the Buddhist monk, including a Pulitzer Prize and 1963's World Press Photo of the Year.
On Twitter, hundreds of Browne's fans are honoring him Tuesday following the news of his death.
"Malcolm Browne, supreme war correspondent, dies," wrote Dan before fondly pointing out the photographer's unique style.
"Always wore red socks."
Twitter user Jake posted, "RIP Malcolm Browne, the former Associated Press correspondent who took the famous photo of the self-immolated Vietnamese monk in 1963."
