Gordon Parks' photography masterfully captured the range of Black life in America

https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2022/06/10/ [login to see] /gordon-parks-photography
In the late 1940s, Life magazine published a multipage photo spread titled "Harlem Gang Leader," depicting the gang wars that had taken control of the New York neighborhood. Through contemplative, yet often violent portraits of the gangs, photographer Gordon Parks captured the complexity and nuance of an area that was often misjudged.

The photo essay also landed Gordon Parks a full-time position at the magazine, making him the first Black photographer to be hired on staff. This work solidified what would become his lengthy and prolific career not only as a photographer, but also as a filmmaker, novelist, musician and poet.

Parks grew to be one of the country's most celebrated photographers. He was best known for photographs of American life, but mostly of the Black experience. With his camera he captured the cruelties he saw in society and used photos as means for protest. His photos of segregated America are part of an imperative documentation of the racial divide in the country.