I am in the same boat as the rest of my classmates. This is the first time I am learning about Gordon Parks and his work. However, upon further research, I am glad this is my first time learning about this man and his work. His work sheds light on the African American struggle. It also encapsulates the beauty of the African American spirit and resiliency. What I’d like to focus on is the article that was about how the HBO show, “Lovecraft Country”, made references to Gordon Parks’ work. Since the show is set in the 1950s and Gordon Parks was there to capture the feel of what African Americans had to deal with on a daily basis because of Jim Crow laws. Specific photographs, that where part of his “Segregation Series”, where used to recreate certain scenes in the show, such as a woman and her niece coming out of a theater. That particular scene was captured by Parks and was used in the show to pay homage to his work. This was a fascinating and exciting find for me due to the fact that I watched this show and, since I didn’t know about Gordon Parks and his work beforehand, it had given me a whole new perspective on the show. I will rewatch the season again in the coming days to find the scene again. I am also hopeful that the show runners will include more scenes that pay tribute to Parks’ work again in later seasons.
Department Store in Mobile, Alabama. (Gordon Parks, courtesy The Gordon Parks Foundation) bn
https://www.newsweek.com/lovecraft-country-gordon-parks-photos-1525235
