“I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapon against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance, poverty.” These words define Gordon Parks: We Shall Not Be Moved, a solo exhibition at Alison Jacques, London, presented in partnership with The Gordon Parks Foundation for its twentieth anniversary.

Curated by attorney and social justice activist Bryan Stevenson, the show spans 25 years of Parks’ work (1942–1967), highlighting his commitment to documenting African American life with empathy and urgency. Speaking about his curation of the exhibition, Stevenson says: ‘The scope of the images from Parks represents the struggle, resilience and constant striving of Black Americans.’ Stevenson’s selection spans 25 years of Parks’ practice (1942-1967) and focuses on Gordon Parks as a humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice. Stevenson comments: ‘As an African American survivor of racial injustice, Parks was keenly aware of race and class in America, and this palpably informed his work.’

Parks, born into poverty and segregation, became Life magazine’s first Black staff photographer in 1948. His photographs, including American Gothic, Washington, D.C. (1942) and portraits from the 1963 March on Washington, humanise the realities of segregation and social injustice, countering stereotypes and revealing dignity in daily life. Stevenson also highlights Parks’ Atmosphere of Crime series, which reframes crime through a compassionate lens, exposing systemic issues rather than individual blame.

The exhibition’s title references the protest anthem We Shall Not Be Moved, connecting Parks’ work to both historical and contemporary struggles for justice. As Stevenson notes, the images continue to resonate, offering insight into racial inequality and the ongoing fight for civil rights.

Gordon Parks’ work is held in major museums including: The Art Institute of Chicago; Hirshhorn Museum, Washington DC; The Met, New York; MFA Boston and Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Other major acquisitions include over 200 works at Beinecke Rare Book Library at Yale University, and in 2019, MoMA, New York acquired 56 works.

The show is on view at Alison Jacques, London until 21 March 2026 so there’s only one week left.

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Images: Gordon Parks, Department Store, Mobile, Alabama, 1956, Archival pigment print, 163 x 163 cm, and installation view of the show.