Gordon Parks, director of Shaft and Shaft's Big Score, has died at the age of 93.

An inspiration to the black artistic community, Parks was the first black photographer to work at Vogue and Life, and was also the first black director to direct a major studio film with his autobiographical The Learning Tree in 1969.

A versatile journalist, Parks worked on many areas ranging from fashion to politics to sport, but was perhaps best known for his photo essays on poverty and the civil rights movement.

He passed away at his New York home on Tuesday.