Watch Family Portrait

This short documentary is based on the Gordon Parks 1968 feature in Life Magazine that showcased the 12 members of the African-American Fontenelle family, living in poverty in Harlem, New York. Parks and the magazine made it possible for the Fontenelles to eventually move into a Long Island home. This film follows up on what happened to the last two surviving members of the Fontenelles, Richard and Diana. They both recall, along with photographer Parks, the myriad challenges the family faced, including drug addiction, AIDS, a constant lack of financial security and racial strife.