Award-winning war photographer and journalist who captured the human cost of conflict, particularly in Syria, before being tragically killed by ISIS in 2014.
James Foley was an American journalist and video reporter who risked his life to bring the stories of war-torn countries to the world. Tragically, he became the first American citizen to be killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a brutal terrorist organization, in August 2014.
Foley was born on October 18, 1973, in Evanston, Illinois, to Diane and John Foley of Rochester, New Hampshire. He grew up in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, where he attended Kingswood Regional High School. Foley's early life was marked by a passion for education and writing, which would later shape his career as a journalist.
After completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and Spanish from Marquette University in 1996, Foley went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2002. He then pursued a Master of Science from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism in 2008.
Foley began his career as a teacher in Arizona for Teach For America, but soon decided to pursue his passion for writing. In 2008, he became an embedded journalist with an Indiana National Guard unit in Iraq, writing a story for In These Times about condolence payments paid to Iraqis.
He then went on to work as an embedded journalist with USAID-funded development projects in Iraq and later with the military newspaper Stars and Stripes in Afghanistan. In 2011, Foley wrote for GlobalPost in Libya, where he was captured by Gaddafi loyalist forces and held for 44 days.
In 2012, Foley was captured in Syria while working for Agence France-Presse and GlobalPost. He was held captive for nearly two years before being brutally murdered by ISIS in August 2014. The terrorist organization released a video showing Foley's decapitation, reportedly in response to American airstrikes in Iraq.
James Foley's tragic death sent shockwaves around the world, but his legacy lives on. He inspired a generation of journalists to report from the front lines, and his bravery in the face of danger will never be forgotten.
Foley's story has been immortalized in the documentary Jim: The James Foley Story, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016. The film is a testament to his courage and conviction, and serves as a reminder of the importance of a free press in a world torn apart by conflict and terrorism.
James Foley's death was a tragedy, but his life was a testament to the power of courage and conviction. He will always be remembered as a fearless journalist who risked everything to bring the truth to the world.
James Foley's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of a free press and the risks that journalists take to bring us the truth. His legacy will live on, inspiring generations to come.
