Documerica: Danny Lyon’s Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

Many of the photographs, including those of Lyon’s, are the only distinct visual record of the time and place.

RKO Bushwick Theatre in Brooklyn, July 1974. Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

RKO Bushwick Theatre in Brooklyn, July 1974.

Danny Lyon was born in Brooklyn in March 1942 and was brought up in Kew Gardens, Queens. He studied history and philosophy at the University of Chicago where he graduated in 1963. That year he published his first photographs working for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee where they appeared in The Movement, a book about the Southern Civil Rights Movement.

During the 1970s, he contributed to DOCUMERICA a project sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to “photographically document subjects of environmental concern” in the USA from about 1972 to 1977. Many of the photographs, including those of Lyon’s, are the only distinct visual record of the time and place.

 

July 4th Holiday at the Kosciusko Swimming Pool in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant District, July 1974. Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

July 4th Holiday at the Kosciusko Swimming Pool in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant District, July 1974.

 

East River Park in Manhattan, July 1974.Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

East River Park in Manhattan, July 1974.

 

People looking at boat traffic on the East River with the Manhattan Bridge and NYC in the background, July 1974.Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

People looking at boat traffic on the East River with the Manhattan Bridge and NYC in the background, July 1974.

 

Lynch Park, Brooklyn, NYC, June 1974.Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

Lynch Park, Brooklyn, NYC, June 1974.

 

Manhattan Bridge tower in Brooklyn, June 1974.Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

Manhattan Bridge tower in Brooklyn, June 1974.

 

Playground in East River Park in Manhattan, July 1974.Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

Playground in East River Park in Manhattan, July 1974.

 

Three young girls in Brooklyn, July 1974.Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

Three young girls in Brooklyn, July 1974.

 

The Kosciusko public swimming pool, Bedford-Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn, July 1974. Documerica: Danny Lyon's Photos of New York City in the Summer of 1974

The Kosciusko public swimming pool, Bedford-Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn, July 1974.

 

Puerto-Rican boy playing softball in Brooklyn's Hiland Park, July 1974.

Puerto-Rican boy playing softball in Brooklyn’s Hiland Park, July 1974.

 

East River Park in Manhattan, July 1974.

East River Park in Manhattan, July 1974.

 

Man lounging on a park bench with his radio on the Reis Park boardwalk in NYC, July 1974.

Man lounging on a park bench with his radio on the Reis Park boardwalk in NYC, July 1974.

 

Lynch Park in Brooklyn, June 1974.

Lynch Park in Brooklyn, June 1974.

 

Young Man with His Leg in a Cast in Hiland Park of Brooklyn, July 1974.

Young Man with His Leg in a Cast in Hiland Park of Brooklyn, July 1974.

 

Children at the beach in Reis Park, Brooklyn, July 1974.

Children at the beach in Reis Park, Brooklyn, July 1974.

 

Boy scout leader recruiting among Latin Youths Bedford Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn, June 1974.

Boy scout leader recruiting among Latin Youths Bedford Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn, June 1974.

 

Boys playing frisbee across West 46th Street in Manhattan, July 1974.

Boys playing frisbee across West 46th Street in Manhattan, July 1974.

 

Block of brownstone residences in Park Slope of Brooklyn, June 1974.

Block of brownstone residences in Park Slope of Brooklyn, June 1974.

 

59th Street Bridge seen from the east side drive, Manhattan, August 1974.

59th Street Bridge seen from the east side drive, Manhattan, August 1974.

 

Avenue D housing project on the Lower East side of Manhattan, June 1974.

Avenue D housing project on the Lower East side of Manhattan, June 1974.

 

Children at the beach in Reis Park, Brooklyn, July 1974.

Children at the beach in Reis Park, Brooklyn, July 1974.

 

Elevated train tracks at Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn, NYC, June 1974.

Elevated train tracks at Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn, NYC, June 1974.

 

House in Park Slope, Brooklyn, June 1974.

House in Park Slope, Brooklyn, June 1974.

 

Man working on his car in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, June 1974.

Man working on his car in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, June 1974.

 

Turn of the century brownstone apartments being gentrified, Brooklyn, July 1974.

Turn of the century brownstone apartments being gentrified, Brooklyn, July 1974.

 

Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, July 1974.

Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, July 1974.

 

Three young girls on Bond Street, Brooklyn, July 1974.

Three young girls on Bond Street, Brooklyn, July 1974.

 

Puerto-Rican boys playing softball in Brooklyn's Hiland Park, July 1974.

Puerto-Rican boys playing softball in Brooklyn’s Hiland Park, July 1974.

 

Williamsburg Bridge facing towards Manhattan, July 1974.

Williamsburg Bridge facing towards Manhattan, July 1974.

 

Danny Lyon self-portrait

Danny Lyon self-portrait

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