Gordon Parks
American, 1912 - 2006
Photographer Gordon Parks captured life in the United States across six decades. His work shone a light on Black communities, celebrities, and civil rights leaders. Parks was born in the segregated community of Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1912. He bought his first camera while working as a dining car waiter for the Northern Pacific Railway.
Parks discovered documentary photography perusing magazines left behind by railway passengers. He approached Life magazine in 1948 to propose a story on Harlem gangs. The following year his first photo essay was published: Harlem Gang Leader Red Jackson’s Life Is One of Fear, Frustration, and Violence.
Over the next two decades, Parks did nearly 300 assignments for Life, where he was the first and only Black photographer on staff. The profound humanity depicted in his work crossed racial barriers. Through his powerful stories, viewers gained insight into the lives of his subjects. Parks used striking compositions and acute attention to detail to offer social commentary and provoke reflection.
Explore Selected Works
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Soapbox Orator, Harlem, New York
Soapbox Orator, Harlem, New York
Gordon Parks · 1952 · gelatin silver print · Accession ID 2015.19.4623
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Harlem Rooftops
Harlem Rooftops
Gordon Parks · 1948, printed later · gelatin silver print · Accession ID 2016.117.143
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Watermelon
Watermelon
Gordon Parks · c. 1967-1969 · dye imbibition print · Accession ID 2016.117.269
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Mother and Son, Puerto Rico
Mother and Son, Puerto Rico
Gordon Parks · 1949 · gelatin silver print · Accession ID 2016.117.146
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Portrait of Duke Ellington
Portrait of Duke Ellington
Gordon Parks · 1960 · gelatin silver print · Accession ID 2015.19.4673
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Newsman Being Frisked at Muslim Rally in Chicago
Newsman Being Frisked at Muslim Rally in Chicago
Gordon Parks · 1963, printed later · gelatin silver print · Accession ID 2016.117.237
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Chimney Pots, Paris
Chimney Pots, Paris
Gordon Parks · 1964, printed later · silver dye bleach print · Accession ID 2016.117.242
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Uncle James Parks, Fort Scott, Kansas
Uncle James Parks, Fort Scott, Kansas
Gordon Parks · 1950, printed later · gelatin silver print · Accession ID 2016.117.157
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Washington (southwest section), D.C. Two Negro boys
Washington (southwest section), D.C. Two Negro boys
Gordon Parks · November 1942 · gelatin silver print · Accession ID 2016.117.113