Why Gordon Parks’ Most Famous Photo Almost Wasn’t Released | The Bigger Picture with Vincent Brown

During World War II, renowned photographer Gordon Parks created an image that was seen as a searing indictment of racial politics in the U.S. with Ella Watson, a cleaner who posed with her mop and broom in front of the American flag. Host Vincent Brown discusses Parks’ motivation for taking the photo, how he worked with Watson and his philosophy that the camera could be used “as a weapon.”

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ABOUT THE SERIES:
Images can tell powerful stories. One iconic photograph can symbolize an entire era. But if we expand the frame and examine the moment in which it was taken, a very different story can emerge. In this series of documentary shorts, Harvard University historian Dr. Vincent Brown meets with curators, photographers and other experts to challenge common assumptions about iconic American images.

THE BIGGER PICTURE is a co-production of Timestamp Media LLC and The WNET Group, in association with Harvard University’s History Design Studio at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, and Vision Maker Media.

Major funding for THE BIGGER PICTURE was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional funding was provided by the Anderson Family Charitable Fund, the Tamara L. Harris Foundation, the William Talbott Hillman Foundation, the Phillip and Edith Leonian Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Additional funding for the digital production of THE BIGGER PICTURE was provided by Chasing the Dream – a public media initiative from The WNET Group, reporting on poverty, opportunity, and justice in America, and supported by The JPB Foundation, The Peter G. Peterson and Joan Ganz Cooney Fund and Sue and Edgar Wachenheim, III.

[andrewmyers]

Just want to say I love this series. Great work.

[crystalriley]

Please keep making PBS a safe place where global culture, news, and interesting programs live. My parents supplemented my education by letting us watch PBS tv shows, and now I do the same with my children. If you are reading this comment please donate to PBS so they can keep programs like this alive! We need it now more than ever!

[sandraperkins]

Gordon Parks was absolutely amazing. He needs to recieve more recognition.

[shivanidumas]

Historical documentation via Photographs. A brilliant mind. Gordon Parks. Thank you

[blackeagle]

Gordon was my grandfather. I miss him dearly. ❤️

[marygloe]

I’m so very sad that this is the last episode. Please Dr Brown. Expand the series!

[sorccy]

What a phenomenal series. I really hope to see more of it.

[skipwalker]

I was lucky enough to hear Gordon speak once at one of his last major showings: Half Past Autum. It was at the Oakland Museum in Oakland, CA. I actually got to shake his hand. It is a moment I wil cherish always. I purchased a silver print from the Library of Congress. It hangs over my desk next to two Dorthea Lange images. He was such an impactful person. At his talk, he related the story about his boss at FFSA telling him that that image was going to get them all fired. lol

Then, Richard Roundtree, the original Shaft, conducted the Oakland Philharmonic playing the score from the movie. The score Gordon wrote and the movie he directed. What a talent.

[TimDurkan]

What a great story and so well put together - thanks you Dr. Brown, PBS and team

[robertsmith]

A picture can capture so much more than words sometimes, Gordon Parks camera was a weapon, it also captured the pain, suffering and love. As a musician he produced the soul and sound of this sick world,

[c.t.murray]

Gordon Parks captured African-Americans with dignity and continued to make movies with his photography and succeed. That is a beautiful photograph of Ella Watson and her strength. Thank you.

[weston.weston]

PBS has always had such a special place in my heart (Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, American Experience, etc). Do you all also ❤ PBS and think their topics and presentations are just all around wonderful?

This presentation was such a short glimpse of American history explained extremely well in a straightforward yet non jarring way. Modern life (collapsing American democracy and its offshoots) is so jarring that I am often weary and frayed by it all despite caring deeply and being committed to act/serve.

I hope you all enjoyed this PBS presentation as much as I did.

[berthabridges]

"America is me. It gave me the only life I know, so I must share in its survival."
~ Gordon Parks (1912-2006), American photographer, 📸 writer, musician, composer, and director

[nathalieduverna]

Oh, I thought she was holding the mop, wow! This photo is remarkable ✨ What Parks said about picking up the camera is genius and is happening now

[AMTunLimited]

Something that I noticed is that Ella herself isn't actually in focus in this picture; the plane of focus seems to be the on the broom. It's tack sharp and has a ton of high frequency detail, so much so that it's almost distracting from her face, and I feel like it would be if it weren't for the inherent human draw of faces.

I feel like this really emphasizes the idea that all she was to her employers was a broom operator, not necessarily valued as a person but just how she can be useful, and this tension because there is still a person there daring you to engage.

I could be way off base though, I dunno

[tanyasharadamba]

💗Great narration of an incredible story. Thank you PBS.

[feelinguru-vywiththepaingu]

Thanks for this. I did not know of this photograph, nor had I heard of Gordon Parks. I saw the movie Shaft, the original movie, in the 1970s.

I do believe that, as a writer, the pen can be used as a weapon, an effective one. In the same way, a camera, paintbrush, musical instrument, spray paint can, any tool of an artist can be used as a weapon. And they must be used in that way. These ordinary tools give emotion and meaning to our lives. They reveal our humanity and the humanity of others. It's why the arts must never be removed from schools. These arts teach us how to be human by teaching us what it means to be human.

[evonza]

You can't stop the truth from being told❤️🖤💚🙏🏽❤️🖤💚

[astarisborn]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gordon Parks before he passed. 🤩💗

[teacherdavid--eatplaylearn]

Blessings from Taiwan 🇹🇼😇🧧🥰🥳
This photo is SUPER POWERFUL 💪🤩👍

Equal rights + FREEDOM for ALL 🥰