Famed photographer and filmmaker Gordon Parks, who died yesterday at the age of 93, leaves behind a remarkable legacy.
He has been called "The Jackie Robinson of film", for successfully breaking down a color barrier of the movie industry, as the first African American to direct a major studio release. Indeed, The Learning Tree from 1969, was a true landmark for the medium. It was based on Parks' own autobiography, and told the story of what it was like growing in rural poverty. In fact, Parks not only directed the picture, he also wrote the screenplay, acted as its director of photography, and composed the film's score too. I watched the movie for the first time in film school and still marvel at what he was able to accomplish with that one film. He would go on to helm another benchmark movie, 1971's Shaft, which helped to initiate the blaxploitation genre. Shaft is memorable for many reasons, not the least of which is the OSCAR winning theme song by Isaac Hayes. Parks even had a cameo, in the 2000 Shaft remake, starring Samuel L. Jackson in the title role.
His career as a writer and photojournalist took him to even bigger heights. He has published several poems and memoirs. Working at LIFE Magazine, he spent 20 years as the publication's premiere photographer, and gave the world some wonderful American imagery, including his most famous pic called "American Gothic''.
For more on the man's amazing life click here.
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