Photographs of China's Civil War from the Roy Rowan Manuscript Collection

Roy Rowan (1920-2016) was an American journalist and author who worked for Time- Life and its successor company, Time-Warner, for more than 30 years. Rowan’s career began in 1946 when, unable to secure a job as an overseas journalist, he joined the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) in civil-war torn China, serving as a transportation officer. Rowan began photographing and writing freelance articles about the conflict and his breakthrough came in 1947, when Life magazine published his photograph “The Stadium of Skulls” and article on the war in Henan Province. In 1948 Rowan joined Life as their China and Southeast Asia correspondent.

He went on to cover the 1949 revolution that led to the founding of the People’s Republic of China as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In his later career Rowan served as a feature story writer for Time magazine and published 10 books on a wide variety of topics including corporate management, world leaders, presidential dogs and ocean fishing.