A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Matt Roush says...

The legacy of photographer-activist-filmmaker Gordon Parks (1912-2006) lives on in the work of contemporary photographers focusing on social progress and justice, as this inspirational documentary reveals. Parks became famous as Life magazine’s first Black photographer in a pioneering career from 1948 to 1972, using his camera as a “weapon” of change during a tumultuous period for civil rights. Director/producer John Maggio’s film pays tribute to Parks’ portfolio while spotlighting several current photojournalists influenced by his work: Devin Allen, whose “Baltimore Uprising” photograph of the Freddie Gray protests made the cover of Time; LaToya Ruby Frazier, who documented the Flint, Michigan water crisis for years and photographed Breonna Taylor’s family for Vanity Fair; and Jamel Shabazz, whose visual history of the hip-hop era on the streets of New York reflects Parks’ affirming work.

What's Worth Watching (Nov 15)