Malcolm X Addressing Black Muslim Rally in Chicago after 1963

Gordon Parks took this photograph of Malcolm X addressing a Black Muslim rally in Chicago. It’s all about the contrasts; the interplay between light and shadow. Parks uses this to draw our eye, but also to create a mood. It feels serious, weighty, a moment pregnant with possibility. Look at Malcolm X’s raised hand, the way it’s caught in the light. It’s a gesture of power, of defiance, but also of appeal. You can almost feel the energy of the crowd, the tension in the air. The details are so sharp you can almost see the texture of his skin, the glint in his glasses. And then there’s the darkness, pressing in from all sides. It’s not just a backdrop; it’s a presence. Parks, like other photographers such as Roy DeCarava, used photography as a tool for social change, a way to document and celebrate Black life. Like DeCarava, Parks isn’t just capturing a moment; he's composing a visual argument, a call to action. This photograph invites us to reflect on history, power, and the ongoing struggle for justice.