Gordon Parks
Full Name
Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks
Date of Birth
November 30, 1912
Place of Birth
Date of Death
March 7, 2006
Place of Death
Education
Parks was largely self-taught, developing his skills through personal study and experimentation
Spouses Names
- Sally Alvis (m. 1933; div. 1961)
- Elizabeth Campbell (m. 1962; div. 1973)
- Genevieve Young (m. 1973; div. 1979)
Children Names
- Gordon Parks Jr. (a filmmaker; deceased)
- Toni Parks-Parson
- David Parks
- Leslie Campbell
Parents Names
- Father: Jackson Parks
- Mother: Sarah Parks[
Gordon Parks was a groundbreaking African-American photographer, musician, writer, and film director. He is renowned for his photographic essays for Life magazine and as the director of the 1971 film “Shaft.” Parks’s early work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) captured the struggles of Americans during the 1940s. His powerful images, such as “American Gothic, Washington, D.C.,” highlighted the effects of poverty and segregation, making him among the most celebrated photographers of his era. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines, where he worked on subjects ranging from fashion to civil rights, and took memorable pictures of figures like Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, and Stokely Carmichael. His work helped to break down racial barriers in the photography and film industries. In addition to his photography, Parks was an accomplished author, composing music, and making films. “The Learning Tree,” a film based on his novel, made him the first African American to direct a major Hollywood movie. Parks’s legacy is preserved through The Gordon Parks Foundation, which supports artistic and educational activities that advance his vision and values