1. On the day Gordon Parks was born, how did the doctor save Gordon's life?
He was born on November 30, 1912. His doctor saved his life by putting him in an ice bath to see if he was alive and would cry.
2.Where was Gordon born? (what state?) He was born in Fort Scott, Kansas.
3.What did Gordon's college adviser, Ms. McClintock tell him about college?
Ms. McClintock said it would waste his parents' money to go to college for she thought African Americans weren't college material.
4.How old was Gordon when his mother died? Fourteen years old
5.Where did Gordon move after his father die? He moved to Minnesota.
6.Did Gordon graduate from college? Yes even though he didn't finish high school.
7.How did Gordon begin his fashion photography career?
He walked into a fashion store and the owner's wife asked him what he wants. He replied to take fashion pictures, so she set up the place and time with the models ready for him to take pictures of the next day. Afterwards, he developed the pictures in the late-nighter and showed the owners his pictures outside their store, impressing them very much that the wife urged Gordon to go to Chicago to continue.
8.What is a "double exposure?" The camera's aperture opens twice to let in the light at different times, creating a double composition type of image.
9.Who was boxer Joe Louis?
He is Gordon's friend who supplied Gordon the materials for the fashion photography at the fashion store.10.What instrument did Gordon play? Piano!
11.What was the purpose of the Farm Security Agency?
To educate the public about the horrific conditions the people are facing during the Depression.
12.When Roy Stryker hired Gordon for the FSA, what was Stryker's first assignment for Gordon in Washington, D.C.?
The assignment was to go to a store to buy a top hat, then go to the restaurant across the street, and then go to the movie theaters. After all of that, he then would tell Stryker what he think of it.
13.Who was Ella Watson?
Gordon Park's wife whom he met her in a party.
The inspiration was the discrimination he has witness in his life and how this woman portrayed the African Americans and others who have suffered the lack of civil rights. What did Gordon learn from Stryker about photography?
He learned that photography can show the emotions of others and how the camera can be a weapon for civil rights.
15. What did Gordon learn from Stryker about photography?
He learned about how photography can used to advocate for social rights and evoke a deep emotion in the audience.
16. When did the FSA shut down? 1943
17. After Gordon moved to New York, what magazine did he shoot for? Vogue
18. Who was the picture editor of Life Magazine when Gordon walked into the Life Magazine office?
Wilson Hicks
19. What was the first major story Parks covered for Life Magazine?
Crime in major cities especially about gang related crimes.
20. Who were some of the artists that Gordon Parks mentioned influenced his work after he moved to the Paris Life Magazine bureau?
Picasso, Van Gogh, and other artists.
21. How did Parks shoot fashion when he lived in France?
He used black and white photography while the models were moving in their dresses.
22.Where was Parks' concerto performed? Venice
23. Who was Parks' second wife? (Who was her father? What did she do?)
Elizabeth Campbell Rollins is a model and Gordon' second wife. Her father Esums Campbell did not approved of the marriage.
24. How old was Flavio de Silva when Parks met him? 12 years old
25. When did Parks meet Flavio? June 16, 1961
26. Where did Flavio live when Parks first met Flavio and his family?
Catacumba in Río de Janiero
27. How is Gloria Vanderbilt? Who is her famous son? Who are her ancestors?
Gloria Vanderbilt is an author, actress, fashion designer and other occupation. Her sons are Carter and Anderson. Her ancestors are the rich, famous Vanderbilts that helped build the railroad in America.
28. How did Vanderbilt describe their relationship?
She said it was like she and Gordon were already friends (like felt like it) when they first met each other and that it's a fated-meeting. However there was a distance between her and him.
29. How did Parks become a writer?
One of his workers named Carl encouraged him to try write a book and introduced him to a publisher who is willing to publish Gordon's book for $10,000.
How much was he advanced to write his first book?
30. He was at first hesistant to write the book, but he tried and later his book became a best-seller. Because of the support he has received, he continue to write books, poetry, and even a movie script.
31. Who was his editor? Genevieve Young
32. In the 1960's, what story did Parks create for Life Magazine on Segregation in the South?
He did a story on a Kansas family dealing with segregation and harassment from other people.
