Grit and Grace: Gordon Parks

Gordon’s whole story is out and about. Released February 7, the book Grit and Grace is in bookstores, museums, and is the topic of interviews and television spots. This is an accounting of his lifelong struggles against racism and prejudice, beginning with his stillborn birth and ending with his forever hovering over the Kansas sky in Fort Scott. Written for the young adult audience, the book appeals to grownups, too.

Available on this website, through Black Archives of Mid-America’s website, indie bookstores, and Amazon, the story catches breaths as readers learn about Gordon’s strength and focus to master photography for Life magazine, film-making, create more than twenty books, earn a meager living playing semi-pro basketball during a tough moment in his life, and teaching himself to paint later in life.

Gordon’s is a breath-taking story of initiative, endurance, and compassion, and I had the privilege of learning about him in person across his dining room table.