Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks (November 30, 1912 â€" March 7,
2006) was an American photographer, musician, writer and film
director, who became prominent in U.S. documentary photojournalism in
the 1940s through 1970sâ€"particularly in issues of civil rights,
poverty and African-Americansâ€"and in glamour photography.As the
first famous pioneer among black filmmakers, he was the first African
American to produce and direct major motion picturesâ€"developing
films relating the experience of slaves and struggling black
Americans, and creating the "blaxploitation" genre. He is best
remembered for his iconic photos of poor Americans during the 1940s
(taken for a federal government project), for his photographic essays
for Life magazine, and as the director of the 1971 film Shaft. Parks
also was an author, poet and composer.Parks was born in Fort Scott,
Kansas, the son of Andrew Jackson Parks and Sarah Ross, on November
30, 1912. He was the youngest of fifteen children. His father was a
farmer who grew corn, beets, turnips, potatoes, collard greens, and
tomatoes. They also had a few ducks, chickens, and hogs.
2006) was an American photographer, musician, writer and film
director, who became prominent in U.S. documentary photojournalism in
the 1940s through 1970sâ€"particularly in issues of civil rights,
poverty and African-Americansâ€"and in glamour photography.As the
first famous pioneer among black filmmakers, he was the first African
American to produce and direct major motion picturesâ€"developing
films relating the experience of slaves and struggling black
Americans, and creating the "blaxploitation" genre. He is best
remembered for his iconic photos of poor Americans during the 1940s
(taken for a federal government project), for his photographic essays
for Life magazine, and as the director of the 1971 film Shaft. Parks
also was an author, poet and composer.Parks was born in Fort Scott,
Kansas, the son of Andrew Jackson Parks and Sarah Ross, on November
30, 1912. He was the youngest of fifteen children. His father was a
farmer who grew corn, beets, turnips, potatoes, collard greens, and
tomatoes. They also had a few ducks, chickens, and hogs.
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