Also American

Person · 1912–2006

Gordon Parks

The photographer, filmmaker, and writer who documented Black life and broke Hollywood's color line behind the camera.

A pioneer of [[black-visual-art]] and [[black-film]].

A self-taught photographer for Life magazine, Gordon Parks turned his lens on poverty and segregation, then became the first Black American to direct a major studio film — and helped launch a new era of Black cinema.

On the timeline

  1. August 6, 1969
    Gordon Parks directs "The Learning Tree"

    Photographer Gordon Parks becomes the first Black American to write and direct a major Hollywood studio film.

  2. July 2, 1971
    Gordon Parks directs "Shaft"

    His studio blockbuster catalyzes a new era of Black-led film.

Resources

The web

Connections to other moments, systems, and investigations — the links rarely drawn together.

  • builds on·Thread
    Black Film & Cinema

    Parks's breakthrough behind the camera built on the path Oscar Micheaux opened decades earlier.