Gordon Parks, born on this day in Fort Scott, Kansas, became a groundbreaking photographer, filmmaker, writer, and humanitarian. He was the first African American to work as a staff photographer for Life magazine and broke barriers in Hollywood as the first major Black director of a studio film, The Learning Tree (1969), based on his semi-autobiographical novel. He also directed the iconic 1971 film Shaft, helping to launch the blaxploitation genre.
Parks used his lens and storytelling to confront issues of race, poverty, and social justice, becoming a powerful voice in American art and culture.
© 2025 KnowThyHistory.com. Know Thy History
