Death of legend Gordon Parks, photog and filmmaker, 93

[undergroundrailroad]

Death of legend Gordon Parks, photog and filmmaker, 93

BY BILL HUTCHINSON
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Renaissance man Gordon Parks, who photographed the triumphs and tribulations of African-Americans and became Hollywood's first major black film director with "The Learning Tree" and "Shaft," died yesterday. He was 93.

Parks, who also composed music for Duke Ellington and wrote fiction, died in his upper East Side apartment after a battle with cancer, relatives said. His son and daughter were at his side.

"He was the real thing," legendary New York sports photographer Marvin Newman said last night. "He broke a lot of taboos, a lot of ground."

As an ace lensman for Life magazine between 1948 and 1968, Parks photographed high society as well as the underbelly of politics and poor American life. He also covered the civil rights movement, producing photos that crystallized its struggles and victories.

[undergroundrailroad]

1. SHAFT, can you dig it? RIP Gordon Parks.

Your photos, your films and your life made up a huge part of my world.

RIP O8)

[bliss_eternal]

2. I just realized he passed today...

I was visiting a photography site, and it was posted there. I'm so sad about this.

Here's a link to the announcement of his death with tribute photographs, videos, literature, etc.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/07/entertainment/main1380808.shtml?CMP=OTC-RSSFeed&source=RSS&attr=HOME_1380808

[undergroundrailroad]

3. Thanks for that excellent link!

:hi:

Undergroundrailroad