BHBC The Crew Edition: Gordon Parks and The Life Magazine Staff - Day 9
Day 9: Gordon Parks and The Life Magazine Staff
A different kind of click.
More powerful than a gun.
He pointed and shot.
In his crosshairs - the lies told by the American media about Black men, women, and children. Lies that we were savage, dangerous, ugly.
Photographer Gordon Parks bodied that plot with a portfolio for the people. Thousands of crystal clear images of perfect Blackness.
Telling the truth.
Shining a light on humanity.
From his iconic camera came cover photos. He documented a broken-hearted city after Dr. King’s assassination. He attended the funeral of Medgar Evers and showed the world the stoicism of his beautiful wife.
Gordon Parks and his editorial crew placed these powerful images on the cover of Life magazine.
He set out to offer perspective and clarity on historic moments AND the ordinary lives of extraordinary people.
Like Red Jackson, the benevolent drug dealer in Harlem. Or the Fontonelle family, who could not survive the destitution of urban poverty. Or the women in Malcolm X’s mosque.
Our collective image of Black history was rendered in his dark room.
Today, we shine a light and raise a glass to truth in journalism. And to all the storytellers of the movement.
Meet us in the Streets: Grab your earbuds, put on your sneakers, and join co-founders Morgan and Vanessa for Black History Bootcamp, a walking podcast powered by GirlTrek. We can’t wait to talk…
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Crew Conversation Guide:
The Question:
What is the most important photograph in Black History?
What is an image you’d like to see on the cover of magazines right now?
The Playlist: Crew Edition Playlist of the Day
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