Wow....Just Wow (Pic Of The Week)

Check out the cover of Tan magazine, circa 1955.  The magazine was published by Johnson Publishing Company (Ebony, Jet).  It was a "true confessions" type of magazine.  Interesting.  

Anywho, I LOVE this cover!  Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte. *swoons*  It confirms that old adage that says a "picture is worth a thousand words."  When I look at this photo, I see love, passion, art, beauty, history, race...  If I stare at it for a long time, I can get lost in it.  When you look at this picture, what do you see?  

Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte

Macy's, Eriq LaSalle Celebrate 100 Years of Gordon Parks

As part of their commitment to Black History Month, Macy's honored photographer Gordon Parks in Atlanta recently with a special panel discussion featuring Eriq LaSalle and Arnika Dawkins (Arnika Hawkins Gallery).  The event commemorated the centennial birth of this beloved artist (1912-2006). 

And just when I thought I couldn't love Gordon Parks anymore than I already do... 

I found out that the life and times of this fearless renaissance man were more than just one big happenstance. He had a divine purpose and it all began the day he came into the world.  Did you know that when he was born, he had no heartbeat (he was stillborn) and was pronounced dead?  And if it hadn't been for an attentive doctor bringing him back to life, we may have never known Gordon Parks.  His gifts, his passions, his impact on the world were deliberate. He was meant to be here. 

Eriq LaSalle and Arnika Howard

Eriq LaSalle recalled his personal memories of Parks, "He was a gentle soul. A quiet storm."  LaSalle said Gordon was also a maverick - who rarely asked permission to do things, "he just did it."  The director/writer/actor encouraged the audience to learn more about Parks and reminded the group to share the photographer's story with the youth of today.

Macy' in-store tribute to Gordon Parks

If you live in Atlanta, be sure to visit Arnika Howard's gallery at 4600 Cascade Road.  She'll be showcasing Parks' work during February and March, as well as presenting a screening of The Learning Tree (directed by Gordon Parks) on March 29th.

In addition to the folks at Macy's being rock stars and bringing this event to cities around the country, they're also giving you a chance to win a trip to the American Black FIlm Festival in Miami, a $1,000 gift card (shoes, shoes & more shoes!) and a copy of Gordon Parks': Collected Works, Steidel 2012.  Click here for more details. 

FYI: Everywhere abides by FTC guidelines and has provided me with compensation for attending this event.  However, all thoughts and opinons expressed here are my own. Duh! :)

Black History Month: Gordon Parks 101

"I still don't know exactly who I am," Gordon Parks wrote in his 1979 memoir, "To Smile in Autumn." He added, "I've disappeared into myself so many different ways that I don't know who 'me' is."

Wow.  Pretty profound from a man who is so well known and loved throughout the world.

Gordon Parks

Gordon Parks was a celebrated photographer who left behind a body of work that captured some of the most important aspects of American culture.  He was a visionary who also made films, composed music and wrote books.  A true renaissance man.  

He broke barriers in the world of photography; a genius at telling complex (and controversial) stories through pictures.  But you wanna know what I love the most about him?  His compassion and commitment to social justice.  

Unlike most of today's celebrities, Gordon Parks used his influence to bring attention to the ugly realities of racism, poverty and injustice.  In fact, he once called his camera a "weapon against poverty and racism."

He wasn't afraid to give a voice to the world's 'forgotten' people. His work gave people a pulse.  It made them human.  When you look at his collections, you can't turn away. You won't forget.  And for that alone, his memory will always be cemented in American History.

In honor of Black History Month, Macy's, the Gordon Parks Foundation and the American Black Film Festival will be celebrating the works of Gordon Parks in Atlanta on Saturday, February 16th (2:00 pm, Macy's Lenox Mall).  If you've never seen his work, go. You'll be amazed. I promise. 
   

My Pic of The Day!

Talk about girl power!  This ballet dancer stopped traffic while dancing in the middle of 7th Avenue in New York during the filming of a Sony commercial.  What I would do for those legs! :)  

Photo Courtesy of NY Post