NYC in the 70s
Nickle: Staten Island Ferry, Nina Leen, 1971-05-10, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Construction of the World Trade Center was completed in 1973
John Shearer, 1972-08, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
The Reapers gang from the South Bronx
John Shearer, 1972-08, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Street gangs like this provided inspiration for "The Warriors" 1979 film
John Shearer, 1972-08, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
At its height this gang had 200 members
John Olson, 1970, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
At the Filmore East, around the corner from the Hell's Angels HQ on 3rd street, which is still there today
Ralph Morse, 1972, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Undercover cop blends in (at the costume party)
John Shearer, 1971, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
The Tombs: a booking center, jail and court complex in lower Manhattan
Bombing New York, Co Rentmeester, 1970-03-11, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
The Weather Underground had been using a Greenwich Village house to assemble bombs
Bombing New York, Co Rentmeester, 1970-03-11, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
A bomb under construction exploded, reducing the entire building to rubble
Bill Eppridge, 1970-03, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Two people were injured and three were killed
Big City Kid, Bill Ray, 1971-08-01, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
"Before Giuliani opened Disneyland in NYC"; Times Square taken in stride
Artists Lofts, John Dominis, 1970-02-05, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
SoHo as inhabited by Gordon Matta-Clark, Donald Judd and many other artists
Commuter Trains Nyc, John Olson, 1970-01, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Public transit
Commuter Trains Nyc, John Olson, 1970-01, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
It was light enough in the stations to keep you sunglasses on
Nyc Commuters, Ralph Crane, 1970, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Still ridership declined as city budget crises ("Ford to City: Drop Dead") lead to higher fares and poorer service
Gay Liberation, Grey Villet, 1971-06, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Candlelight vigil commemorating the Stonewall riots
Grey Villet, 1971, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Press covering a gay rights demonstration
85199, John Olson, 1970-09, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Women's rights march
Bella Abzug, Leonard Mccombe, 1972-03, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Bella Abzug helped found the National Women's Political Caucus and was a member of the US House of Representatives
Home With Honour, Peter Keegan, 1973-04-06, From the collection of: Getty Images
US military involvement in Vietnam ended officially in 1973 and definitively in 1975 when the North Vietnamese captured Saigon
Bill Ray, 1972, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
You looking at me looking at you: the "Me" generation was a term first used by Tom Wolfe to describe the Baby boomers
John Dominis, 1970, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Pearl Bailey in a production of "Hello, Dolly!" with an all African-American cast
Rock Fest - Madison Sq. George Harrison, Bill Ray, 1971-08, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Concert at Madison Square Garden...there would have been more pictures of it but everyone left their phone at home attached to the wall
Twyla Tharp, Gjon Mili, 1975, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Dancer and choreographer who brought modern dance to prominence
Arthur Schatz, 1972, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
George Burns, Jack Benny and a very lucky man indeed
Bill Ray, 1971, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Muhammed Ali defeats Oscar Bonavena, part of a comeback after his heavyweight title was stripped for refusing the US Army draft
Bill Ray, 1972-11, From the collection of: LIFE Photo Collection
Save the best for last: Central Park
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
