Photos of Xiao Fang, a photojournalist who was a contemporary of Sha Fei, are published in John Spencer's In Serach of Modern China. I also found that Wu Yinxian's photos are in Magnum's archive.

There're some interesting exhibitions of photojournalists recently. One is Weegee (Arthur Fellig) http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/09/arts/design/09weeg.html, now on display at the Intenational Center of Photography. He worked for tabolid papers, shooting sensational, provocative, and eye-catching scenes at New York City during its turbulent years in the 30s, 40s and 50s.

Another exhibition is a war photographer, Dogulas Duncan, now on view at the HRC, Univeristy of Texas at Austin. The HRC is holds one of the richest resources of photography and photographic archieves in the country. Duncan sereved as a marine during the Korean War, and the millitaray experience was documented by the marine/photographer. This is War comprises of pictures he took during the war.
http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/online/ddd/home.html

Social Realism: Art as a Weapon edited by David Shapiro

Social Realism as an artistic style can be seen as the way the nation in search of its own cultural identity.

Social Realism grew out from the traditions of American art, whose art has been didactic and narrative in nature.

Social Realism emerged out during the late 20s, and it burgeoned in the 30s, fueled by the Great Depression that artists began to pioritize their social role than their pure artistic explorations.

Social Realism was also fostered along with the writings and theories of Socialsim which were increasingly popular during the time.

Subject matters are largely concerned with plights of ordinary people, expolitations of workers, injustice in the society, police brutality against powerless people.