Celebrating a life known across the nation and across the world, friends and relatives traveled from near and far to participate in the fifth annual Gordon Parks Celebration for Culture and Diversity.

A Fort Scott native, Parks became the first black photographer for Life magazine and first black director of a feature film during his lifetime. Most commonly refered to as an artist, Parks is responsible for one of the most popular films of the 1970s, "Shaft."

This film would revolutionize the roles of black actors in film and, many believe, spawn a film movement known as "blaxploitation."

Relatives of the late Gordon Parks sit out front of Ken Lunt's home in Fort Scott Friday talking about the impact Parks had on their lives. From left: Alain Brouillaud, Gordon's grandson; Toni Parks, Gordon's daughter; and David Parks, Gordon's son. Lunt is regarded by many -- including Gordon's family -- as the person responsible for Parks' return to Fort Scott. Michael Pommier/Tribune Photo

During this year's event, relatives of Parks joined together discussing his life and legacy.

Parks' grandson Alain Brouillaud said he remembered him for his compassion.

"I think the great thing about Pepe (pe*pay) is that whatever he did, it touched you," he said. "He took that camera and instead of screaming -- racism, racism, racism -- he just took the pictures and showed them to you.

"What he gave you was his best nothing less than that."

"He was blessed," said Park's daughter and fellow photographer Toni Parks. "He was great at everything, dancing, singing, playing the piano, riding horses, cooking the only thing I never saw him do was threading a needle."

Even former associates from Life magazine were on hand to explain what Parks meant to them, saying, "with Gordon, his name really resonates, there are few photographers around, even in corporate America, that rise above the surface and Gordon is one of them."

Friday afternoon, prior to the presentation of the Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award to Richard Roundtree for his starring role in "Shaft" and continued work in the arts and black community, members of Parks' family gathered at the home of Ken Lunt, Fort Scott. Lunt is said to be one of the largest factors in Parks' return to Fort Scott after leaving the then-segregated city.

The family used the opportunity to share their memories of Parks with one another.

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"He was a loving dad," said Toni. "He was a caring dad."

Closest to Gordon in his choice of profession, David Parks, Gordon's son spoke of Gordon's decision to shoot the 1967 film "The Learning Tree," in Fort Scott.

"The Learning Tree is really an open gift to Fort Scott," said David. "It was an open gift to Kansas.

"It is my belief that Gordon always was a Kansan. He left here and he went through some bad things, but, he never sugar coated it."

WSU Vice President and General Counsel Ted Ayres continued saying, "that's what's so impressive. He could have gone down a particular path. He could have become hateful. He could have become violent. But he chose to pick up a camera and turn to photography."

Saturday marked the final day for the celebration and brought the family members together once again for a question and answer session at the Gordon Parks Center for Culture and Diversity at Fort Scott Community College.

Most participants used this platform to share stories of Gordon.

Brouillaud told the filled room about the day he realized the importance his grandfather had to this world.

"I always had the greatest time with him," he said. "Fast forwarding a ways, when I was about 21-22 years old, it dawned on me that my grandfather was a very heavy-duty person."

He went on to explain how this realization was enough to stop the two from speaking for about six months.

The silence would eventually be broken and Gordon's compassion would once again show.

"I said 'Pepe, (Gordon) it just all of a sudden dawned on me who you are and what you mean to this world'," said Brouillaud. "He said 'It's just me.' I said 'Yeah, I know."'

Toni, a photographer living in England said Gordon was a major large part of her inspiration.

"I would come over once a week to dad's," said Toni. "(I would) put my contact sheets down on the table. He'd take the red marking pen. He'd go through all of them. He said, 'Like that one, like that one, like that one. So get those printed.'

"But, after like two months of this, I started asking 'Why is it you don't like this? Because I like this one.' And he would tell me what was wrong with them. It was incredible."

"He had this curiosity that just would not stop. It just would not stop," said Toni. "He loved creating. He said to me one day it's so great to do work that's not really like work."

The Gordon Parks Center's Jill Warford ended the event by showing her appreciation of Gordon's decision to return to his native city.

"We feel so blessed that Gordon was able to come home and make his peace with Fort Scott and be buried here," she said.