March 7, 2006, is the day the world lost a great man. We lost a poet, a musician, a novelist, a composer, a film director, an activist, and most notably, one of the 20th century's most accomplished photographers.
Gordon Roger Alexander Buchannan Parks died at the age of 93.
Several articles have been written the past couple days about the life of this great man. And I could simply reiterate what has already been said, another obituary documenting a lifetime of great achievement.
I could write that he was the first African-American photographer for Life magazine from 1948-1972; that he specialized in the portrayal of black urban life, issues dealing with racism and poverty, and became a world-class photojournalist bringing light to the difficulties of minorities at home as well as abroad; and that he also was a co-founder of Essence magazine in 1970, where he held the position of editorial director for three years.
I could talk about his years working as a member of the Farm Security Administration, documenting the plight of depression-era farmers across the United States, through which he captured his most famous image titled "American Gothic", a portrait of a black cleaning lady named Ella Watson, stoically posed in front of the American flag with a mop in one hand and a broom in the other. Mr. Parks said he wanted to capture the mood of social inequality he felt when he took the photograph in 1948.
I might be inclined to mention his semi-autobiographical first novel The Learning Tree, published in 1963, that later became the film that Parks also wrote, directed, produced, for which he composed the film score, and also literally filmed as the cinematographer. He also directed the popular films Shaft in 1971 and Shaft’s Big Score in 1972 (both of which were the beginning of the new film genre known as blaxploitation), along with other films — including some made-for-TV movies.
I also would have to point out the four other books of memoirs that he wrote, including A Hungry Heart: a Memoir, four volumes of poetry, a ballet concerto, and several orchestral scores. I might also be tempted to list the impressive portfolio of famous portraits Gordon Parks took over the years, including Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Gloria Vanderbilt, Ingrid Bergman, Barbara Streisand, and many others.
To continue the list of achievements, it would be a failure not to mention the fact that as someone who never finished high school, Mr. Parks received 40 honorary doctorates from colleges and universities across the United States and United Kingdom.
Article comments
1 - Tan The Man
Very sad news.
2 - Berry
He was truly an inspiration. What a talent! What a man!
3 - Howard Dratch
Fine post and memory. For me he was an influence on my childhood and the maker of pictures that were powerful. Growing up in the South in the '50s and '60's his African-Americanism was of importance because he was a model contrary to the great racism of the time.
Now I realize that all that really mattered ever was his pictures, writing, talent. That was his strength (and strength of character) and is what matters in the world over color or any other minor matter.
4 - chantal stone
thanks for reading, Howard, and i agree. Gordon Parks used his talent as an artist to tell a story that needed to be told, to people who needed to hear it. he accomplished the very thing to which all artists strive...he was heard.
Berry and Tan the Man, thanks for reading.
5 - Joanie
What an incredible man! He was amazingly inspirational. He was brilliant at capturing the moments of daily life and equally as stellar when tackled fashion, the arts, anything and everything.
We've lost one of The Greats.
6 - Randy G
Up for some of my ... "constructive criticism" ... ???
Chauny,
Nice article .. especially if you were really into this guy ... and not just making a racial statement about another guy who made it ... and just happened to be black.
You used a term I'm soooooo tired of hearing .... "African-American". Like others, I believe we're either American or .. something else.
My ancestors were Norwegian and German .. no one parades around saying "Norwegian-Americans" .. or "German-Americans" ..
Rarely are any of the people using your ethnic distinction "actually from Africa" .. with almost all of them having been born right here in America. Doesn't that make them "American" ??? And .. consider this.. if you were from "Africa", you'd be from a whole continent ! Africa (like america) is composed of many smaller countries (like our states). Do you think Egyptians or Libians want to be known as "African-Americans" or Nigerians, Ethopians, or Ugandinese or Algerians .. and tho I could go on, I think you get my idea ...
So .. why did/do you use this ... term that so readily seperates a perticular group of people from the rest of the crowd ???
If we want more equality in the human race, shouldn't we practice more unity ?????
And, shouldn't our language be a good place to start ?????????
Respectfully ...
Randy G
7 - chantal stone
Randy....
"African-American" is not a term i use in everyday conversation, and i don't refer to myself as such. i used it in this article because since filed under the "News" category, i thought a little political correctness deemed necessary, but if you notice, when i referred to myself, i simply said "black". and when writing an article about one of my own personal heroes, i didn't think it was the place to express my own un-PC agenda.
"...no one parades around saying 'Norwegian-Americans" .. or "German-Americans' ..."
excellent point, and that has always been my "anti-African-American" argument. if we need to start labelling ourselves all the time, my own title would be African-German-Russian-Native-American...and anything else i left out!
"...And...consider this.. if you were from "Africa", you'd be from a whole continent !..."
well that opens a whole new discussion about how people of African decent in America do not even KNOW their tribal origin due to slavery, which is why when speaking about ones ethnic origin, 'African' is good enough---it has to be, it's all we have. white people can just as easily (and do) call themselves "European-American".
my point was never to "use a term that so readily separates" anyone. in this instance, it was important to note that Gordon Parks was a black American, African-American (whatever you want to call him) because of the accomplishments he made in spite of the racial bigotry and hostility he encountered during his lifetime. yes he was a great man despite his ethnicity, but he was also a great man for achieving what he did as black man during that time.
thanks for reading Randy, and i sincerely appreciate the comment!