Project brief: Moxie Films (U.S.) had produced a successful documentary called Uneven Fairways, celebrating the African-American golfers who fought prejudice for the right to play the game they loved at the highest level. The director wanted to follow this up with a book featuring portraits of these legendary golfers by Nike photographer Michael Faye. Blok was approached to design the book.

Approach: Our approach was to create a book as bold and iconic as the people portrayed, so as to respect their dignity and courage. We called the book PAR for its two levels of meaning: the number of strokes a golfer needs to complete a hole and the struggle to be “on par,” to be equal. The design is simple, careful not to overshadow the power and intimacy of Michael Faye’s portraits. The die cut of PAR on the cover forces the reader to broaden their understanding of the issue and includes the view that it was the golfers’ passion for the game that inspired them to overcome their difficulties.

Effectiveness: The photos and book helped draw attention to a pivotal moment in sports history and are currently on exhibition at the USGA Museum, Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History.

A beautiful book detailing the struggles of African-Americans to be on par when playing competitive golf. An important, inspiring reminder of how strong people can be.