powerHouse Books and Govinda Gallery are saddened to announce the passing of photographer and musician LaMonte McLemore who passed away peacefully with his wife Mieko by his side at his home in Henderson, Nevada. He had been unwell for some time. He was 90 years old.

LaMonte McLemore was a vocalist and one of the founding members of the pop-soul group The 5th Dimension—boasting 20 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (with “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” reaching number one), nine Grammy nominations, and six wins, including two Records of the Year—known for their versatile sound and diverse appeal that transcended race, age, and nationality. 

In 1991, McLemore and the original lineup of the group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While touring the world and receiving critical acclaim with the group, McLemore was also a photographer for JET magazine, taking over 50,000 photographs for their “Beauty of the Week” feature. He was also the photographer for Stevie Wonder’s first album cover, and the first African American athlete to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals, followed by a short stint playing for the LA Dodgers until an arm injury.

Arguably just as impactful as his career in music, if not more so, was his career as a photographer cementing Black women and models in American media and cultural history. McLemore freelanced for JET magazine for more than four decades, principally shooting for its “Beauty of the Week” feature, which encapsulated Black joy, style, and beauty. During this time, he photographed hundreds of Black women, most of whom were not professional models. The section, in which a woman was featured in a swimsuit along with her name, place of residence, profession, hobbies, and interests, became one of the most popular among the magazine’s audiences, as it showcased the everyday beauty and elegance of Black women, contributing greatly to what has been called the “first form of social media” by acclaimed contemporary visual artist, Mickalene Thomas. 

LaMonte McLemore’s work with The 5th Dimension and JET magazine left a significant impact on popular culture, one that can still be seen today.

Chris Murray of Govinda Gallery, McLemore’s photographic representative and editor of Black is Beautiful, is currently assisting with a touring exhibition that includes LaMonte’s work titled “Bold and Brilliant: The Rise of Black American Magazines” opening in 2026 at the Museum of Fine Art in Houston. The exhibition focuses on Black Magazines and is organized by the Museum of Fine Art in Houston with the Portland Museum of Art, and will travel to the New Orleans Museum of Art and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. LaMonte founded a magazine called Elegant which only lasted a few years but was incredibly influential.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to LaMonte’s lovely and devoted wife Meiko and the rest of his family and close friends.

In the Spring of 2024, powerHouse Books had the honor of publishing a selection of McLemore’s JET Beauties of the Week. You can read more about the title on their website at https://powerhousebooks.com/books/black-is-beautiful/.