Photos by Joseph Kohl: mysteries solved

At the opening of Unscripted Moments: the Life and Photography of Joseph Kohl, individuals from all walks of life convened in MdHS’s new photograph and prints gallery. As anticipated, a few individuals from Kohl’s images were identified by attendees.

Baltimore-based poet/musician/raconteur Tom Diventi, identified two previously unnamed individuals: J. Terry Edmonds and Michael “Ed” Bavis. Edmonds and Bavis wrote for Apathy Press, a Baltimore-based micro-publisher that specialized in broadsheets and chapbooks in the 1980s and 1990s and was founded by Diventi.

 Untitled. J. Terry Edmonds. Joseph Kohl, c.1989. PP284 Box 4, Folder 11A. MdHS.

Gathering info from interviews and articles, we found that Edmonds went from crooning his way through college to graduating from Morgan State University. He went on to having an amazing career as a writer. He worked for Congressman Kweisi Mfume in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. In 1995, he became the Executive Speechwriter for President Bill Clinton—the first African American speechwriter for a U.S. President. Later, he advanced to become the Director of Speechwriting at the White House. He’s also worked for Morgan State, Time Warner, INC., AARP, Columbia University, NASA, Corporate Office at Integrity National Corporation. He now works for IBM as an Executive Speechwriter.

Untitled. Michael “Ed” Bavis. Joseph Kohl, undated. PP284 Box 4, Folder 14A. MdHS. 

Not as much information can be found for Ed Bavis who passed away at age 54 in March 2010. He is remembered as a good hearted guy “who had a story for everything.” (Priscilla Marie Williams)