“Photographing History: Loudoun and Beyond”

Presented by John McDonnell

Legendary Washington Post Photographer

Sunday, November 10, at 2:00 p.m.

St. James United Church of Christ,
10 East Broad Way, Lovettsville VA

John McDonnell, former staff photographer for the Loudoun Times-Mirror and the Washington Post, will present a journey through the 1970s and thereafter, using his unique collection of photographs.

McDonnell was raised in Purcellville and graduated from Loudoun Valley High School. While in high school in the 1970s, he started working as a photographer for the Loudoun Times-Mirror, at a time when Loudoun County was dotted with dairy farms.  His photographs captured people and events from 50 years ago, including the Mount Weather plan crash of 1974, and the Lovettsville Community Center fire of 1976.

In 1978, went to work for the Washington Post, and continued there until his retirement in 2023, where he covered everything from protests in the streets, to presidents in the White House, including Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. He worked exclusively for the Post’s Style section and Sunday Magazine for most of the 1980s.  Starting in 1989, McDonnell primarily photographed for the sports section.

Come and see McDonnell’s renowned photo collection, which you will find fascinating whether you lived through those events, or are learning about them for the first time.

The program will not be live-streamed, but a video recording of the event will be posted on the Lovettsville Historical Society website.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome to defray expenses of the program and to support the activities of the Lovettsville Historical Society.

For more information, visit https://www.lovettsvillehistoricalsociety.org/, or call 540-822-9194 .