William Eggleston was prominent in getting coloured photographs looked at in the same light as B&W for fine art photography. Well I should have said almost as even now B&W is looked at as more artistic than colour but he played a role in colour at least being accepted as a form of art and getting coloured photos shown in museums/galleries as a true form of art.

Theory: An Introduction to William Eggleston by John Szarkowski

WILLIAM EGGLESTON