Gordon Parks
1912 – 2006

Gordon Parks

American photographer, musician, writer and film director (1912–2006)

fashion photographernovelistfilm actorfilm directordirector
Born
1912-11-30, Fort Scott
Died
2006-03-07
Birthplace state
Kansas

Biography

Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks was an American photographer, composer, author, poet, and filmmaker, who became prominent in U.S. documentary photojournalism in the 1940s through 1970s—particularly in issues of civil rights, poverty and African Americans—and in glamour photography. He is best remembered for his iconic photos of poor Americans during the 1940s, for his photographic essays for Life magazine, and as the director of the films Shaft, Shaft's Big Score, and the semiautobiographical The Learning Tree.

Occupation

Gordon Parks is recorded as a fashion photographer, a novelist, a film actor, a film director, a director, a film producer, a journalist, a photojournalist, a artist, a poet, a composer, a writer, a actor, a photographer and a screenwriter, born in Kansas (1912–2006).

Connections to Kansas

Gordon Parks was born in Fort Scott, Kansas in 1912. Explore other notable figures from Kansas, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from KansasKansashistory ›Historic sites in Kansas
Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Fort Scott

Gordon Parks came from Fort Scott. A full Aubrey report on Fort Scott pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Fort Scott report
Or see a real report first

More notable figures from Kansas

Other historical figures born in Kansas, ranked by historical prominence.

Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
American aviation pioneer and author (1897–1939)
Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
American actor, comedian, and director (1895–1966)
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
American actor and film director (1936–2010)
Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley
American actress (1951–2022)
Hattie McDaniel
Hattie McDaniel
American actress (1893-1952)
Bob Dole
Bob Dole
American politician (1923–2021)
Charles Curtis
Charles Curtis
vice president of the United States from 1929 to 1933

Frequently asked about Gordon Parks

Who was Gordon Parks?
Gordon Parks was American photographer, musician, writer and film director (1912–2006), born in Kansas (1912 – 2006).
When and where was Gordon Parks born?
Gordon Parks was born on 1912-11-30 in Fort Scott.
When did Gordon Parks die?
Gordon died on 2006-03-07.
What was Gordon Parks known for?
Gordon Parks is recorded as a fashion photographer, a novelist, a film actor, a film director, a director, a film producer, a journalist, a photojournalist, a artist, a poet, a composer, a writer, a actor, a photographer and a screenwriter.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

Aubrey Research

Research the history of any US location

Aubrey searches federal archives, archaeological records, historic registers, and primary sources to build a full historical report for any address or place in the United States.

Research your locationView a free sample report