American photographer Gordon Parks (1912-2006) framed some of the most prolific moments in our country's history. Today's post is a tribute to him, as he is one of many Americans who could not witness yesterday's momentous occasion. Parks' powerful rendition of American Gothic (Ella Watson, 1942) is a befitting photograph because it serves as necessary reminder to keep the past within the present. Parks' work keeps alive the legacy of hundreds of thousands of African-Americans who struggled in hopes that one day we could be one nation, under God, indivisible...with liberty and justice for all. Though we are not there yet, the legacies of our forebearers encourage and motivate us to progress forward, one step at a time. You can check out more of Parks' works in Bare Witness: Photographs by Gordon Parks at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art in Evanston, Il in April 2009.
Image: Gordon Parks, American Gothic, photograph, 1942.
