Born in 1912, in Fort Scott, Kansas, he grew up with Jim Crow, survived the Depression, joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, gained insider access to heroic Black fighter pilots during World War II, and became immersed in covering and championing the Civil Rights Movement. He is the epitome of a Renaissance man -- with remarkable talents as a composer, painter, novelist, filmmaker, poet, and fashion photographer, as well as a legendary photojournalist. His photography hangs in the Smithsonian, among other noted institutions worldwide. In 2002, he received the Jackie Robinson Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame, his latest in a long list of honors that began in 1941 when he became the first photographer to receive the Julius Rosenwald Fellowship. His many honors also include an Emmy, a National Medal of the Arts, and fifty-three honorary doctorates.

Imitation is The Best Form of Flattery

Since Parks first broke ground as a black “Glamour Boy” fashion photographer, a few African American notables have followed in his footsteps, including sought after lens men such as Barron Claiborne, Marc Baptiste, Kwaku Alston and newcomer Cheryl Fox Spencer, a former entertainment publicist who has morphed into an in-demand photographer with celebrity pals such as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Naomi Campbell, Mary J. Blige and Nia Long vying for her larger-than-life Black & White canvassed prints. “Gordon Parks showed Black people how to rise above any struggle through expression,” she told Black Voices. ”His eloquent expression through photography and literature became his outlet to the adversities in his life. He is an inspiration to me because I too have been blessed with the gift of both. I too can see another world through my camera.”

On the film front, Parks, the first Black director to have major studios back his films, (1969’s ‘Learning Tree’ and 1971’s ‘Shaft’), has inspired many. Since him, Spike Lee (‘Do The Right Thing’), John Singleton (‘Boyz N’ Da Hood’), Matty Rich (‘Straight Outta Brooklyn’), Darnell Martin (‘I Like It Like That), Charles Stone, III (‘Drumline’) and Malcolm Lee (‘The Best Man’) have followed.

Pearls of Wisdom:

“Whenever I can, especially young filmmakers, I encourage them.” Parks said in a recent and rare interview with Black Voices. “I try to help them if I can and if they ask me to. So films like ‘Shaft,’ and ‘Leadbelly’ and ‘The Learning Tree,’ if it inspires young filmmakers, whether they be black, white or whatever, and they call me for some advice on them, if I can give good advice I would." When asked about his thoughts on mortality, the wise 92 year old sage commented: “I know its got to come, mortality ya know, and we all experience it and we do the best we can before we get there."