For Black History Month, we’re highlighting Gordon Parks, a self-taught photographer who changed the way Black life was documented in America. Born in 1912 in segregated Kansas, Parks bought his first camera at a pawn shop for $7.50. That one decision led him to become the first Black photographer at Life magazine and later, the first Black director of a major Hollywood film (Shaft, 1971).
American Gothic, Washington, D.C. (1942), featuring cleaning woman Ella Watson
But here’s something you may not know: Parks used his camera as a weapon against injustice. His photo essay American Gothic, Washington, D.C. (1942), featuring cleaning woman Ella Watson with a mop and broom in front of an American flag, was a direct response to racism and inequality in government jobs. He went beyond just taking pictures—he told stories that demanded change.
Some of his most famous works include:
• Harlem Gang Leader (1948) – An intimate look into the life of a young gang leader, redefining how Black youth were portrayed.
• The Fontenelle Family (1967) – A heartbreaking yet powerful depiction of Black poverty in Harlem, showing the struggles and resilience of a single mother and her children.
• His portraits of icons like Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and Stokely Carmichael, capturing the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement.
Parks once said, “I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs.”
For Black creatives today, his journey is proof that art is power. Whether you shoot portraits, fashion, or documentaries, your lens holds the power to shape narratives and challenge perspectives. Parks’ work reminds us that Black history is still being made every day—by photographers, artists, and storytellers like you.
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