Gordon Parks is one of my creative role models. Not only was he a talented photographer whose images were fundamental in challenging racial inequality and the Jim Crow laws, but he was also the first African American to produce and direct major motion pictures (The Learning Tree, Shaft, Shaft’s Big Score, The Super Cops, and Leadbelly), and an influential author (The Learning Tree, A Choice of Weapons, Voices in the Mirror, and A Hungry Heart). As if that weren’t enough, he also found time to paint and co-founder of Essence magazine.
Parks was a true renaissance man.
To honor this creative genius, PBS NewsHour recently featured The National Gallery of Art exhibition, Gordon Parks: The New Tide to explore the life and work of the self-taught artist and master storyteller.
Tweet us @mochamanstyle or leave a comment on our Facebook Page to share your thoughts on this article. Follow us on Instagram @mochamanstyle
Frederick J. Goodall is the Editor-in-Chief of Mocha Man Style, media spokesperson, event host, photographer, and a top social media influencer in Houston, TX. He likes to write about fashion, cars, travel, and health.