Gordon Parks Joins the Ancestors

Gordon Parks
Joins the Ancestors, 1912 - 2006

by Kwame Brathwaite

Gordon Parks Viewing and Funeral
Tuesday March 14, 2006
Riverside Church
Riverside Drive and 120th Street, New York, NY
Viewing from 11:30 AM until 1:30 PM Christ Chapel
Funeral at 2:00 PM in main Sanctuary

Remembrances

Gordon Parks, the distinguished elder statesman of the arts, the perfect Renaissance man, made his transition to distinguished ancestor at the age of 93. The great photojournalist, film director, composer, fine art photographer, author, poet and humanitarian, born in Ft. Scott, Kansas, faced many challenges in his young life after the death of his mother when he was sixteen. The youngest of 15 children, he left Ft. Scott to live with his sister and brother-in-law in St. Paul, Minnesota, but soon had to leave because of confrontations at home. Finding himself homeless, and facing racism and Jim Crow laws, he began his life of fending for himself, or better put, self-determination. He never forgot what his mother taught him “dignity and hard work could overcome bigotry." He worked as busboy, piano player in a brothel, singer in a big band, and even a semi-pro basketball player. That might just have been the training ground that caused him to excel in anything that he put his mind to. Although he never completed high school, he would later be the recipient of 40 honorary doctorate degrees.
While working as a waiter on the railroad, he found a discarded magazine published by the Farm Security Administration (FSA), with the photography of some of the best documentary photographers of the time. He soon came across Richard Wright’s “12 Million Black Voices” that dealt with poverty and racism. This combination of social awareness and creative expression was just what he needed. He saved up and purchased a camera from a pawnshop in 1938, and began to take photographs of people and situations. He shot local fashions and conditions in his neighborhood.
In 1941, he received a fellowship to train in photojournalism at the very same organization that published the magazine that he found, the FSA in Washington, DC. Thus his career in photojournalism began. He also shot fashions, first locally and then landed work with the leading fashion magazine of the day, and this day, Vogue and the leading picture magazine, a photographer’s dream, Life Magazine in the 40’s. This would be a major accomplishment for any Black photographer today. He traveled the world, shooting fashions for Vogue in Paris and photostories for Life in countries such as Brazil. On what would become one of the most important assignments of his life, a story about a poor and sickly boy in the flavellas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro. The boy Flavio da Silva was on the verge of death. The photos and story that Parks send back to Life, drew so much compassion for the boy, that readers send in more than $30,000 to help with his medical and living expenses, and flew him to the states for treatment. Life Magazine also kicked in and it saved the boy and his family from a life of misery. I remember the story well, and the name Flavio has been a reminder to me, the power of photojournalism, in the hands of the right photographers. This led to an unmatched artistic career that included writing a novel based on his life that morphed into filmmaking and his first film, “The Learning Tree.” He went on to become the first African American to direct a feature presentation for a major Hollywood company, "Shaft” that became a major hit. It starred then fashion model Richard Roundtree as the lead character, fellow model Sherri Brewer (now Bronfman) as the kidnapped girl, and music by Isaac Hayes. The rest is history.
Among his many honors, and one that touched him the most, was the tribute to him on his 90^th birthday, when 90 African American photographers from around the nation, came to New York for a birthday tribute and to pose with him in what has become a most cherished historical photograph. Organized by Washington, DC photographer Jason Miccolo Johnson and The Exposure Group. The shot, patented after the famous shot of jazz musicians on the same street decades ago called “A Great Day In Harlem.” On November 30, 2002 they convened. There were eight Pulitzer Prize winners, along with former Martin Luther King photographer, Ernest Withers, the 80-year-old civil rights photographer from Memphis, and all three African Americans who have served as official White House photographers: Sharon Farmer (for President Clinton), Ricardo Thomas (Pres. Ford) and Eric Draper (G.W. Bush). Muhammad Ali’s personal photographer Howard Bingham came from California, as did veteran photographers Bruce Talamon, Kwaku Alston and Ming Smith. Bobby Senstack, Eli Reed and Fern Logan came in from Chicago, NCA’s Roy Lewis from MD, Harlee Little (DC), Albert Chong (CO), Ace jazz photographer Chuck Stewart crossed the Hudson from New Jersey and New York photographers, Adger Cowans who was so close to Parks that we all called him Gordon’s son), Beuford Smith, Frank Stewart, Chester Higgins, Hugh Bell, Marilyn Nance, Coreen Simpson, Toni Barboza, Tyrone Rasheed, Carrie Mae Weems, John Pinderhughes, Mel Wright, Renee Cox, Shawn Walker, Debbie Willis, E. Lee White, LeRoy Henderson, Steve Martin and myself, Kwame Brathwaite to name a few, were on hand for the fabulous event that ended with a dinner in honor of Parks.

Remembrances
“The worlds of photography, of art, of poetry and filmmaking have been given a strong blow with the death of Gordon Parks. We must say, however that those worlds are richer, finer and more defined because of his life and his gifts.

Gordon Parks and I were friends and I shall miss him deeply as a friend.”

Maya Angelou
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"Gordon Parks will always for me be remembered as someone who wasn't afraid to try, wasn't afraid to embrace new possibilities, and wasn't afraid to fail -- which he hardly ever did. He was generous with his time and his words of encouragement. He never gave up, never gave in, and never stopped working. Personally, he was like an admired uncle that you had always heard great things about when you were young, but never got to meet until you were grown. Then one day you meet him, and discover that he lived up to all that you had heard. Gordon mostly inspired me by example, first through his writing, The Learning Tree, the first novel I ever read, then through his photographs in Life magazine, and finally through his friendship."

Jason Miccolo Johnson - photographer
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When you hear the name Gordon Parks, you think of excellence, multi-talented, dignity, style, grace, intelligence, determination and unstoppable. His many achievements, even those established more than a half a century ago (the 40’s), are benchmarks that still have not been surpassed. For a Black Man in the post WWII era to shoot for the leading fashion magazine and the leading magazine featuring the best in photojournalism at the same time would be a major achievement today. Parks leaves standards that we all should aspire to achieve. I image he is now preparing to do even greater shots of the Saints and Angels. I’ll be looking forward to seeing them when I get there, hopefully at 93, like Gordon.
Kwame Brathwaite - - photographer / videographer
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I had a restless night thinking about Gordon and the photography wealth he brought to my life. At 16, I read "A Choice of Weapons" and realized that I could also have a life as a photographer. Some years ago, I had the opportunity to photograph him for African Voices celebration of Gordon's life and in November celebrate his 93rd birthday at a booksigning in Harlem. Gordon opened a lot of doors for many of us. I share his life with my photography classes and I'm sure they will reflect on this moment in time. Gordon Parks is now an ancestor, let's keep his name and his journey alive. He taught us that we are all multidimensional and that we should explore every part of our creativity!

I appreciate all of you who have traveled this photographic path.

Best,
Collette Fournier - - photographer
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When I was young and in need of heroes, Gordon Parks was there. With his dignified presence he showed what is was to be black man in the world making your mark. That he was not only succeeding as a photographer, but also as a film maker, composer, poet, and author was important too, since it suggested that one did not have to limit their creative expression to one form, and that you could indeed be as much as you aspired to be.

His suave, cool blackness and presence will be missed.

Dawoud Bey - - photographer
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To me, Gordon was the lighthouse, by example showing the way, so that we
could navigate the waters of image making and his advice was like the keel
that steadied my vessel on its artistic voyage. Time alone with Gordon's
work became a meditative moment, time visiting Gordon was like coming alive
in a incubation chamber. Over the years, visiting him, he would always shove
papers in front of my eyes with poems or verse from his writing table and
say, this is the best writing I've ever done. He was right, because his
artistic mind was always evolving. Thank you Gordon for your inspiration,
thank you for being you, and thank God for blessing me to live in your
time.

Chester Higgins Jr.
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Gordon Parks--American Giant.
Against all odds he excelled in all he did.
He will live on through his exciting work.
His photography, his writing, ensures that
Gordon Parks will be with us, always.
The world is richer for Gordon Parks having
paused to spend time with us en route to the
wide blue yond.
Peace, Gordon, Peace for a life well-lived.

Paul R. Jones – Art Collector
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He has been my hero since I was a little and first saw his work in life magazine and like I did with Duke Ellington I followed him his whole life through......truly one of our greats.....He is sure to be welcomed and honored in the Hall of the Ancestors in peace

Alfie Wade, Jr.
Sète, France
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"I had never met the man, Gordon Parks, but I knew him and lived through his imagery. His versatility in the arts and his willingness to explore and achieve all facets of his creativity was an inspiration to me. And he never stopped reminding us of our own dignity and power with grace, in everything that he was blessed with. Gordon Parks was a true icon of our proud African-American History"

D. Lammie-Hanson - artist
-----------------------------------
Gordon Parks was the one who always gave me inspiration. He made me
challenge my ability to be a better photographer and a better person,
because of where he was, Life Magazine, and other productions he did. He and other
professional photographers that worked for major publications always made
me want to catch up and go further and improve my craft. Because of him
and his success, I still have the drive and desire to excel even today.
I thought many times about going into film, back in the sixties and
seventies, as many others did. For example, Spike Lee, But in my heart
photography was still always my medium. As my theme goes "Painting
Pictures With The Click Of The Shutter". Gordon Parks, Don Charles The
New York Times and Monetta Sleet, Ebony Magazine were photographers that
always had my respect and made getting up in the morning more meaningful
and still do, because of them, paving the way, we are not finished.
Gordon Parks is already missed and will be forever. God Bless.

Merrill A. Roberts Jr. - photographer
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MR. PARKS WAS VERY CLOSE TO ME ONCE, WHEN, AS ONE OF THE COORDINATORS OF THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL BLACK PHOTOGRAPHERS TRIBUTE - BACK IN THE 80'S - WE HONORED HIM. I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH HIM UP CLOSE, HOWEVER BRIEF. AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE A GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZATION WITH NO TIES TO MADISON AVE. OR BIG TIME PUBLISHING, BUT HE TREATED US/ME AS ROYALTY, AND
WAS QUITE HUMBLE THAT WE, AS HE PUT IT, “TOOK THE TIME TO THINK OF HIM”. I ALWAYS THOUGHT OF HOW HUMBLE HE WAS TOWARD US AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO THANK HIM FOR THAT....A GREAT ARTIST AND A NICE GUY.

JIMMIE MANNAS – photographer / videographer
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Gordon Parks was a great inspiration because he did it all!! Writer, photographer, musician, author, screen writer , director and producer. He is truly the Renaissance Man!! I will always appreciate him.

Fikisha Cumbo - photographer
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Gordon Parks passing represents a great loss for so many in so many aspects of the arts. For me, he was an inspiration. A photographer who I could aspire to be like. His photographs always seemed so timeless and he always 'got it right.' I'll miss his inspiring work.

John Brathwaite - photographer
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I am who I am because Gordon Parks was who he was.

I can’t remember when I first heard the name Gordon Parks. It seems as if I’ve always hear it, but my defining moment of knowing who Gordon Parks was happened when I wrote a term paper on him for college.

I was immediately fascinated by his looks, photography and life. It is because of Mr. Parks that I believed in “the power of the comma”. For there were so many following his name. There was Gordon the photographer, the poet, the pianist, the composer, the director, a lover of life and the Man. A Renaissance man of all times.

Not soon after graduating college, I had the privilege of being photographed with Gordon Parks by my mentor, Joyce Tennyson, for her book, Amazing Men. I was able to let him know how much he inspired me in all areas of my life, how he confirmed that there is no limit to what we could accomplish in life.

The greatest tribute that I can give to Mr. Parks is to continue using all my gifts and talents. Mr. Parks photography touched my soul, delighted my visual senses and inspired me to push my self outside the box.

Matthew 25:15 “To one he gave five talents, and to another two talents, and to another one talent.” To Gordon Parks he gave all the talents.

REGINA FLEMING -- photographer
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Most people will remember Gordon Parks for his many achievements in various fields. I will miss Gordon's wry sense of "Blues humor". Underneath his suave, sophisticated sense of personal style was a "race man" in the old school sense - a man who was fully aware of the traps of racism that lay in his path as he forged ahead. He also knew that
much of the African-American tribe would be judged by his actions and so he sought to achieve a level of excellence in all that he did. At the same time, he was motivated to create personal art, that is, expressions of art that came from his individual sense of beauty. Finally Gordon Parks managed to marry an African-American sensibility with the commercial demands of the mainstream. I hope that we as a people have moved past that juncture but without Gordon's presence, that achievement would still be a challenge and not an historic accomplishment.
The following excerpt comes from one of the many interviews with Gordon
for the documentary HALF-PAST AUTUMN: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF GORDON
PARKS that I produced for HBO.

St.Clair Bourne.
Filmmaker
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A versatile and prolific artist, Gordon Parks, Sr. warrants his status as a cultural icon. The poet, novelist, film director, and preeminent documentary and fashion photographer was born on November 30, 1912, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the youngest of fifteen children. Parks saw no reason to stay in Kansas after the death of his mother and moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, at age sixteen to live with his sister. After a disagreement with his brother-in-law, Parks soon found himself homeless, supporting himself by playing piano and basketball and working as a busboy.

While working on a train as a waiter, Parks noticed a magazine with photographs from the Farm Security Administration (FSA). The photos by such documentary photographers as Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee and Arthur Rothstein led him to Richard Wright's 12 Million Black Voices, other photo essays about poverty and racism, and the social and artistic voice he had been seeking. Parks bought a used camera in 1938, deciding on a career in photography. In 1941, Parks received a fellowship from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation to work with Roy Stryker at the photography section of the FSA. In Washington, D.C., he trained as a photojournalist. He would work with Stryker for the next few years, producing work and honing the modernist and individualistic style he became known for by photographing small towns and industrial centers throughout America.

By the end of the 1940s, Parks was working with Life and Vogue and in that capacity did some of his most famous work. Traveling the globe and covering issues as varied as the fashion industry, poverty in Brazil, the Nation of Islam and gang violence, and eventually celebrity portraitures, Parks continued to develop and create new ways to convey meaning through his work.

Branching out from his photography in 1963, Parks directed his first film, The Learning Tree, based on his autobiographical novel of the same name. His filmmaking career launched, Parks went on to direct many films, including Shaft in 1971. In addition to film, Parks has composed music and written several books including: A Choice of Weapons (1966), To Smile in Autumn (1979), Voices in the Mirror (1990), Arias of Silence (1994), and a retrospective of his life and work titled Half Past Autumn (1997), which was recently made into an HBO special.

Halima Taha Collector/ Appraiser