Hi neighbors. I was disappointed to see so few people at the Nevada Public Library meeting room Tuesday night. Jill Warford, the executive director of the Gordon Parks Center for Culture and Diversity in Fort Scott presented a moving and informative program about Gordon Parks.

Gordon Parks is an African American who was born in Fort Scott. He was the youngest child of 15 children. His mother died when he was 15 years old, and he was on his own by the age of 16. He spent most of the next 12 years of his life in Minneapolis and Chicago where he worked at a variety of odd jobs until he started getting recognition for his photojournalism talents.

He was awarded the first Julius Rosenwalk Fellowship in photography and went to work for the Farm Security Administration in Washington DC He witnessed the racism that permeated the places where he worked and wanted to address that aspect of our culture through his photography.

One of his earlier and most famous photos was of Ella Watson, a black cleaning lady, posed in front of a US flag, holding a mop in one hand and a broom in the other.

He titled that photo "American Gothic 1942." He worked as a freelance fashion photographer for Vogue and Glamour and in 1949 was employed by Life magazine.

He has written several books about his life and his home town of Fort Scott. He has written, directed and composed music for several movies including "The Learning Tree" which was based on his book by the same name.

The movie was filmed in Fort Scott, making Parks the first African-American to direct a major Hollywood production. He also directed the movie Shaft and it's sequel Shaft's Big Score.

Parks also wrote a ballet production entitled Martin, based on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

At 92, he has seen and done a lot. Just last year his home town dedicated the Gordon Parks Center for Culture and Diversity in his honor. He attended! "He isn't much of an early morning person," Warford said, "but he was there for the evening activities. He's quite a night owl." Other audience members who had met him last October commented that he gladly took time to autograph books, chat and discuss his work with every one who approached him.

It's always good news when a hometown boy makes good. When that hometown boy has raised himself from a life that could have been a fruitless one to a life of rewards and creative genius, that is remarkable.

In one of his autobiographies he mentioned that he had already been declared dead at his birth, so he thought living his life should be done as completely as possible.

Warford filled us in on the story about when he was born, the doctor declared him dead. Then the doctor said he wanted to try something. The something was immersing the baby in a pan of ice and water.

Apparently this primitive form of shock treatment worked and he started crying. He has spent little time crying since, preferring to spend his time actively making people aware of diversity issues and encouraging people to accept each others' similarities and applaud their differences.

He is now living in New York City, working on yet another book, taking more photos, writing more music.

He is, without a doubt, one of the last century's most incredible human beings.

I enjoyed the presentation tremendously! It always amazes me to see the smaller world expand into the larger as we are lead there by others who had the courage to walk out of their comfort zones and into the unknown.

When they then come back to the starting point of their journey to encourage those just starting on their own -- that is the glue that holds all humanity together.

Everyone there Tuesday night seemed to enjoy hearing about Parks and seeing slides depicting his work and of the center for culture and diversity named for him. I just wish more of you could have been there with me to learn about this man and his extraordinary life.

Until the next time friends remember; we are all important and unique. But sometimes there are those people we all recognize as giants among us. When we have a chance to learn about them, we shouldn't miss the chance!