Arts & Culture

Gordon Parks

Born November 30, 1912 · Fort Scott, Kansas · Joined the Ancestors March 7, 2006

A self-taught photographer who became the first Black director in Hollywood — Gordon Parks used his camera as a weapon against poverty, racism, and injustice.

Known For

First Black Hollywood director (The Learning Tree)

Iconic Photo

American Gothic, 1942

Also Directed

Shaft (1971)

Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks was born into poverty in Fort Scott, Kansas, the youngest of 15 children. After his mother died when he was 14, he was homeless, riding freight trains and working odd jobs to survive.

He bought his first camera at a pawnshop for $7.50 and taught himself photography. His talent was undeniable — he became a photographer for the Farm Security Administration, LIFE magazine, and Vogue, documenting the lives of Black Americans with dignity and power.

In 1969, Parks became the first Black director of a major Hollywood film with The Learning Tree, based on his own autobiographical novel. Two years later, he directed Shaft, launching the Blaxploitation genre. He was also a composer, novelist, and poet. Parks proved that art could be both beautiful and revolutionary.