Gordon Parks: Sagittarius Sun/Leo Moon

American Gothic, Washington D.C. 1942

Gordon Parks was a Sagittarius Sun/Leo Moon, like today’s astrology. His Leo moon fueled his wildly creative life—he was the premiere photojournalist in the US, focusing on racism, civil rights, poverty and African Americans. He also directed the movie Shaft, co-created the blaxploitation genre of film, wrote a ton of books, and was an accomplished musician and painter. If this isn’t Leo at work! Leo is about self-expression and creativity, and through their art, allows us to see ourselves through another’s lens.

Parks moved to St. Paul, MN when he was 16, met and married his first wife and had his first two children in Mpls! Lucky us! He photographed for the MN Spokesman Recorder newspaper here. He worked for Vogue, Life magazine, co-founded Essence magazine, and worked for the Farm Security Administration.

The asteroid Daguerre is opposite his Sun, and the asteroid Talbot is opposite his Venus in Cap, which explains his artistic success and drive, and Talbot in Cancer helps explain why he felt at home photographing anywhere, but was informed from his childhood experiences with segregation and injustice. Dichotomy plays a part in his work—black America/white America, segregation/the fight for equality, what he was told his limitations were/what he knew he was capable of. Oppositions are a balancing act of tension, and ask us to find our place in the middle, balancing two realities or needs.

Saturn and Mars are opposite each other at 0 degree Gemini and Sagittarius, respectively. And Saturn is trine his Uranus, at 0 degrees Aquarius. All these 0 degrees help explain his explosive creativity, his pioneering spirit and ability to blast through barriers, and plant creative seeds.

He has a Sagittarius stellium (Mars, Sun, Jupiter + Mercury), explaining why he found success working all over the world, and was able to photograph so many types of people intimately—Sagittarians know how to roll out the comfy pants “come as you are” vibe.

His work is held in many places—The Gordon Parks Foundation + Mia being a couple. I especially love his collaboration with Ralph Ellison, “A Man Becomes Invisible” for Life.

Untitled, Harlem, New York, 1952