Breakfast With ... Barbara Burrows Dec 1, 2008
A: The great photographers, like Carl Mydans, Gordon Parks, Eisie [Alfred Eisenstaedt], they always said the same thing -- "the camera was a tool." Luck obviously plays a big part, but anticipation, curiosity, really taking in everything around you and looking for something unique. These are photographers who not only thought about what they were doing but reacted quickly to a situation. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Isaac Hayes Remembered By Aretha Franklin, Bootsy Collins, Others -- Plus Some Classic Hayes Quotes From Our Vault! Aug 12, 2008
"And I keyed in on the character, Shaft, the character himself. That was through the suggestion of Gordon Parks, the original director. He said, 'You got to depict the personality of this guy. You got to stick with him.' ". And for a man who Sam Moore said had untouchable skills when it came to wooing the opposite sex, in 1998 Hayes complained that some of today's soul singers were laying it on way too thick in their musical come-ons. (VHI.com -- Music News)
Soul icon Isaac Hayes dies in Memphis at 65 Aug 11, 2008
Hayes' work on director Gordon Parks' urban crime drama "Shaft," a project he had hoped to star in, was the first of many forays into movie soundtracks. He got in front of the camera for the 1974 cult classic "Truck Turner" and kept busy with film work. (Yahoo News -- Top Stories)
ISAAC HAYES DIES Aug 11, 2008
Hayes said he quickly dashed off "Shaft" after getting the nod from movie director Gordon Parks. The film was the first major studio production to be directed by a black filmmaker. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
More of this story Jul 4, 2008
Gordon Parks' 1963 photograph of Malcolm X is one of 70 images on view at the California African American Museum s Let Your Motto Be Resistance exhibit. Malcolm X, who paved the way for the Black Power movement, is seen here selling a special issue of Muhammad Speaks, the official newspaper of the Nation of Islam, a group he would later reject. (Los Angeles Downtown News, CA)
Isaac Hayes still puts his soul into his music Jul 3, 2008
Hayes said he wrote the song in three days after getting the assignment from Gordon Parks, the film's director and a renowned photographer. The film was the first major studio production to be directed by an African-American (Parks), and Hayes was the first African-American composer to win an Oscar for Best Song. (Scripps Howard News Wire)
A 21st-century Gutenberg May 18, 2008
Lumiere editions include three volumes on Dave Heath and one each on Lewis Hine, Edward Burtynsky, Paul Strand, Gordon Parks and others. Torosian also has published three books of his own photography work. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Richard Roundtree in Shaft (1971) May 16, 2008
Director Gordon Parks brought the original Shaft to the big screen in 1971 ... Directing the action was Gordon Parks (1912-2006) ... Appearing in an uncredited role as an apartment landlord was director Gordon Parks. (Suite101.com)
Panasonic Honors Children as Winners of 18th Annual 'Kid Witness News' Video Contest May 6, 2008
Gordon Parks Academy of East Orange, NJ -- which submitted their video entitled "World Summit," which focuses on the 2008 Presidential race and how elections are handled in other countries around the world, was named as the U.S. finalist in the separately-judged competition taking place this June in Japan ... Best Video of 2008 "Red Tail Angels" Rachel B. Noel Middle School Denver, CO Spotlight Award - Local Hero Technical Award - Editing "Patrick Campbell: Local Hero" N.F. Woods Advanced Tech... (PR Newswire)
Travel briefs Apr 6, 2008
Through June 8, the museum is hosting a show called "Looking Through the Lens: Photography 1900-1960," featuring prints by Dorothea Lange, Gordon Parks, Man Ray, Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Weston. For more information, visit. (Yahoo News -- Auto Racing)
Focused Lessons: Photographs capture life in Third Ward Apr 2, 2008
They also are exposed to the work of Life photojournalist Gordon Parks, whose camera focused on poverty and racism. Parks was an acclaimed writer, poet and filmmaker ( Shaft ) as well as a Vogue fashion photographer. (Woodlands Villager, TX)
Spike Lee Honored With Sixth Annual Chrysler Behind the Lens Award Mar 29, 2008
Previous honorees include pioneers such as producer and composer Quincy Jones ("The Color Purple"), directors Gordon Parks ("Shaft"), Melvin Van Peebles ("Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song"), John Singleton ("Boyz N the Hood") and Hollywood casting veteran and producer Reuben Cannon ("Madea's Family Reunion"). About Chrysler's Behind the Lens Award. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
AxeDigital to reveal resources Mar 27, 2008
Then, The Gordon Parks Collection contains selected photographs relating to the filming of "The Learning Tree.". "AxeDigital will allow the entire world to access some of the hidden treasures of PSU's Special Collections through the Internet," said Robert Walter, dean of Learning Resources. (SunOnline)
Documentary maker focused on blacks Dec 19, 2007
Among his most notable films was "Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks" (2000), an Emmy-nominated feature-length documentary about the renowned photojournalist and filmmaker that ran on HBO.. Other biographical subjects included poet-writer-activist Amiri Baraka, historian and Pan-African activist John Henrik Clarke, and Hughes, the poet, novelist and playwright. (Los Angeles Times)
Man-Friendly Dates Dec 6, 2007
Photo gallery from the Immortal Gordon Parks. That s the rest of my day, i ll check back in periodically. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Living)
Two 2008 calendars designed in JCOne spotlights African-American cinema, the other, local architecture Dec 3, 2007
It also showcases lesser-known African-American contributors in the history of cinema such as Woody Strode and Gordon Parks. Tribute to the here and now. (Hoboken Reporter, NJ)
Celebrating Parks Dec 1, 2007
Local Ninety-four years after his first birthday, people are still celebrating the life of Gordon Parks. 120107 LOCAL 1 The Morning Sun Ninety-four years after his first birthday, people are still celebrating the life of Gordon Parks ... The Gordon Parks Center Executive Director Jill Warford reads a Gordon Parks poem to those attending a Gordon Parks birthday celebration at Fort Scott Community College Friday morning. (SunOnline)
SCSU exhibit focuses on first half of triumphant photographic display Oct 18, 2007
"Harlem on My Mind" includes the work of some of Harlem's most treasured photographers, among them James VanDerZee and Gordon Parks. Photographs include those of Harlem's literary greats -- Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Richard Wright; its politicians -- Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Jr.; and its musicians -- Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
FSCC honors Gordon Parks Oct 6, 2007
Local The Fourth-annual Gordon Parks Celebration at Fort Scott Community College had a little extra. 100607 LOCAL 2 THE MORNING SUN The Fourth-annual Gordon Parks Celebration at Fort Scott Community College had a little extra ... The Fourth-annual Gordon Parks Celebration at Fort Scott Community College had a little extra. (SunOnline)
CNN's Anderson Cooper on 'Planet in Peril' Sep 8, 2007
Mr. Cooper: There are a lot of different people, from a photojournalist I grew up with, a man named Gordon Parks. He was somebody who was a friend of our family and was the first African American photographer for Life magazine, the first African American to direct a major film for Hollywood. (TVweek.com)
Telling it as they see it Aug 31, 2007
For example, when he asked the group of 10 why they decided to enroll in the project, he expected to get lofty answers referencing, say, the photography of Gordon Parks or the writing of Langston Hughes. But no. "I asked what do you hope to get out of this," Tyehimba said during opening remarks for the presentation of the project Saturday at MoAD, "and they said 'a free Canon camera' because, as part of the project, we'd be giving away digital cameras. The kids just wanted a camera. But, hey,... (San Francisco Chronicle)
PBS goes behind the scenes with special on Stax Records Jul 31, 2007
can be attributed to Otis Redding," Parker says.Stax was soaring. Then everything went wrong.In 1967 its star, Otis Redding, died at 26 in a plane crash. Its distributor, Atlantic Records, exercised a clause Stewart hadn't noticed; now it owned the Stax hits.That could have brought an early end to Stax. Instead, Bell made a gutsy decision in 1969 to release about 27 albums. And, when Stax made the 1971 movie Shaft, it hired legendary photographer Gordon Parks to direct and Hayes to write the... (The Clarion-Ledger)
Landmark exhibit traces photography’s evolution in American culture Jul 27, 2007
Famed LIFE magazine photographer Gordon Parks (who died in 2006), was best known for his images dealing with the social fabric of African- Americans in the 20th century. In an untitled photograph from Parks s Race of Poverty series, a young boy lies in bed doing homework, his small frame draped in a heavy sweater in a cold, cheerless tenement. (Cleveland Jewish News, OH)
A film about have-nots is a have-to-see Jun 8, 2007
At the time, Burnett, then 33, didn't have a huge inspirational well of black filmmakers to look to as role models or peers, either: there were Ossie Davis , Gordon Parks , Melvin Van Peebles , and Sidney Poitier. And by 1977, blaxploitation was pretty much dead. (Boston Globe -- Living)
'Shutterbugs': Chancellor Livingston exhibits student photos Jun 1, 2007
Photos by Helen Levitt, Dorothea Lange, and Gordon Parks, among others, were observed and analyzed by the class. Students also studied the works of Billy Collins, Langston Hughes, and other poets of distinction. (Rhinebeck Gazette Advertiser, NY)
Make safety a priority May 25, 2007
Day at the museum: Current exhibits at the Museum of Arts & Sciences in Daytona Beach include the art created and collected by actor Anthony Quinn and historic photos of Daytona Beach by Gordon Parks. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
Taking Names Mar 27, 2007
More than 97 percent of the collection has never been seen by the public, Time said, and includes pictures by Alfred Eisenstaedt, Margaret Bourke-White and Gordon Parks. Stars in the meadows Wolf Trap yesterday announced its annual lineup of superstars for its upcoming summer season, with a few surprises on the list. (Washington Times, DC)
What makes a marriage work? Mar 20, 2007
Think of me as Gordon Parks. By Lady Dark w/Dimples. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Starz InBlack Honors Spike Lee on His 50th Birthday With a 24-hour Marathon Tuesday, March 20 Mar 9, 2007
In these vignettes, Lee speaks candidly about things such as the influence of his cinematic forefathers including Oscar Micheaux, Gordon Parks, Ossie Davis and Melvin Van Peebles, as well as other career challenges he has faced, how he has evolved as a filmmaker and what he hopes to accomplish in the future. Visit for scheduling information and video clips for the Spike Lee 24-hour Marathon. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Author: ‘Parks a wonderful human being' Feb 7, 2007
GORDON PARKS 1912-2006 ... In her local newspaper she saw an article about Gordon Parks and about how he was rebuilding goodwill with his hometown and birthplace city of Fort Scott ... It was a few days later, she said, that her telephone rang and the voice at the other end of the line said his is Gordon Parks; when are you coming. (El Dorado Times, KS)
Black History month Feb 3, 2007
ONLINE EXTRAS SITE SERVICES. High-quality prints of Akron landmarks, cityscapes, nature scenes and more. (Akron Beacon Journal, OH -- Entertainment)
Library to take part in One Book, One State project Jan 26, 2007
The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks was selected by a committee of librarians from across the state of Kansas. The Learning Tree is an autobiographical novel set in the 1920s. (Derby Daily Reporter, KS)
'The Real Pepsi Challenge' Jan 22, 2007
The Pepsi team was responsible for creating advertising that for the first time celebrated African-American "leaders in their fields," from diplomat Ralph Bunche to Life magazine photographer Gordon Parks. It is telling that many of the original members of the Pepsi team went on to accomplish great things, despite the odds and what Capparell refers to as the real Pepsi challenge: How could management promote the men above their narrow specialty to leadership roles guiding the company as a whole. (USA Today -- Money)
One book program to kick off Feb. 5 Jan 17, 2007
The novel he Learning Tree by Gordon Parks has been chosen for the 2007 One Book/One Community program ... There will be music by local artists, as well as an exhibit from The Gordon Parks Center for Culture and Diversity. (El Dorado Times, KS)
STANLEY CROUCH Jan 16, 2007
Despite the hardships of dealing with Jim Crow laws, Boyd and his team stood up to the challenge and worked on the ground in black communities as they developed support, raised sales, created ads and got endorsements from celebrities like Ralph Bunche, Duke Ellington and Gordon Parks. They even got Ron Brown in an ad as a little boy in 1947. (The Drudge Report)
Legends, leaders, and legacies: The year in farewells Jan 1, 2007
The arts world saluted photographer, filmmaker, and writer Gordon Parks, who documented the African-American experience with great dignity and creativity, and director Robert Altman, who revolutionized filmmaking with ensemble masterpieces such as "Nashville" and "Gosford Park." Also eulogized was novelist William Styron, who explored darkly complex historical and moral issues in such works as "Sophie's Choice" and "The Confessions of Nat Turner.". The sports world cheered two of its immortals:... (Boston Globe -- Nation)
