Washington, D.C. Sitting beneath the emblem of the crucifixion of Jesus on Calvary. Two members of the St. Martin's Spiritual Church listen and pray. after 1942

Gordon Parks made this gelatin silver print – Washington, D.C. Sitting beneath the emblem of the crucifixion of Jesus on Calvary. Two members of the St. Martin's Spiritual Church listen and pray. – at an unspecified date. It’s a quiet, powerful photograph, full of texture and light. I'm thinking about Parks composing this scene, positioning himself just so to capture the weight of the religious symbols above, casting their shadows, while the two women sit in prayer. The juxtaposition of the spiritual and the mundane - the electric fan whirring, the simple wooden chairs - it all feels so human. You get the sense of Parks' commitment to bearing witness, his deep empathy for his subjects. He's not just documenting; he’s creating a space for reflection, inviting us to consider the complexities of faith, identity, and the everyday struggles of ordinary people. I wonder what Parks was thinking as he clicked the shutter, what stories he hoped to tell through this single, still moment.