Gordon Parks

Ethel Shariff, Photographed by Gordon Parks

"Ethel Shariff was the leader of the women's corps of the Black Muslims, wife of the chief of the elite guard, and daughter of Elijah Muhammad, the spiritual leader of the Black Muslim movement. This image was part of the photographic essay on Malcolm X and the Muslims that ran inLIFE, May 31, 1963, accompanied by Parks's essay "What Their Cry Means to Me—A Negro's Own Evaluation." -pdonline & Kodak Professionals Presents: Legends Online

Gordon Parks, often referred to as pioneering and legendary, was an African-American artist who "chronicled the African-American experience as well as his personal life". The first African-American to work for Life Magazine, his works include a wide range from black urban life to Paris fashion. Both Parks and his work were influential in critiquing and celebrating American life.

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