Gordon Parks:
Gordon Alexander Buchannan Parks, Sr. Had His Film, "The Learning Tree," Registered By The National Film Registry Of The Library Of Congress, On September 19, 1989.
Released In 1969, And Adapted From The Book By The Same Title, "The Learning Tree" Is An Autobiographical Offering By Parks. It Tells The Coming Of Age Story Of Newt Winger, A Young Black Boy Growing Up In Racist, Pre-Civil Rights Movemnet, Kansas, During The 1920's.
During The 1970's Parks Signed With Paramount Pictures, As The First African American To Work For A Major Motion Picture Studio. He Directed The Films, "Shaft" And "Shaft's Big Sore," Two Movies Which Proved The Boxoffice Power Of Movies Targeted At Black Audiences. "Shaft" Grossed $12 Million In Its First Year.
Before Working In Motion Pictures, Parks Gained Notoriety As One Of The World's Most Prolific Photo Journalists. His Photo Essays In Life Magazine Presented Some Of The Most Defining Images In American Culture.
Gordon Parks Also Had Success As A Musician, Poet And Composer. In Addition, He Left His Mark As A Social Activist. He Died March 7, 2006.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
