Bio: Born in Kansas in 1912, Gordon Parks was a photographer and humanitarian. The youngest of 15 children, Parks had a hard life. He desired to go to college but was discouraged by his teacher. However, he never graduated from high school, because he was living on the streets, working odd jobs when he was just 15 years old. One of those jobs was playing piano at a brothel. He also wrote his own compositions during his free time. One day while working at a hotel, the leader of a jazz band heard one of his songs and invited him to join the band. While Parks always had an interest in photography, it wasn’t until he saw a photo of migrant farm workers illustrating the effect of the Great Depression, that he started dabbling in the field. He stated, “I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs. I knew at that point I had to have a camera.” Buying a used camera, he taught himself how to use it over a few years. After impressing Marva Louis, the wife of boxer Joe Louis, Parks moved to Chicago, where she helped him find jobs taking photos for people of high society. Thus, officially beginning his long and prolific career as a photographer.Why you should know him: Gordon Parks is the epitome of overcoming adversity. Despite having a tough childhood, he was accomplished amazing things. He was the first Black photographer for the Office of War Information, taking photos of the first Black fighter pilot squadron. He spent his free time taking photos of people in poverty to highlight their conditions. He was the first Black photographer to create work and later be hired by Life magazine. He worked for magazines like Essence and Vogue, not to mention working for Life magazine for 20 years. During his career, Parks photographed a huge range of topics from fashion to systematic racism. Parks' photography wasn’t appreciated by everyone. After his photo series about the cruelty of segregation in the South, his life was threatened. He also dealt with threats of lynching when he covered the Civil Rights Movement. But he persevered. He also directed several films and documentaries. After the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., he composed and directed a ballet in honor of the civil rights leader. Today, his works are part of permanent collections in a number of museums across the United States.