From the Mad Men of the ad world to the riots in Harlem to the artists of Greenwich Village, this was New York in the 1960s.
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1 of 56New York’s skyline sits in darkness during the 1965 blackout.Orville AndrewsFPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 2 of 56The streets of Harlem. Circa 1960.Susan Schiff Faludi/Getty Images 3 of 56A woman walks down the street, sporting the styles of the era. 1969.Vernon Merritt III/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images 4 of 56Two terrified African-American girls flee police officers during a race riot in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, itself sparked by the rioting over police brutality in Harlem. 1964.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images 5 of 56On East 2nd Street, a man shows off his car. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 6 of 56Andy Warhol at work in his studio. 1966.Herve GLOAGUEN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 7 of 56Demonstrators clash with cops during the Stonewall Riots for gay rights. 1969.Joseph Ambrosini/New York Daily News via Wikimedia 8 of 56Bullet holes mark the wall at the Washington Heights assassination site of civil rights leader Malcolm X. 1965.Library of Congress 9 of 56The Beatles wave to fans after arriving at Kennedy Airport. 1964.Library of Congress 10 of 56On the West Side, two young boys pass the time by throwing bricks in an abandoned lot. 1962.Library of Congress 11 of 56Famed for his motto of “jazz is my religion, and surrealism is my point of view,” poet and trumpeter Ted Joans was a fixture of the Beat scene in New York City. He was similarly famed for holding bohemian parties, like in this photograph taken at a costume party in Greenwich Village in 1960.ICP/Getty Images 12 of 56Mary Wells Lawrence, one of the few female ad executives during the 1960s “Mad Men” era, sits in her office. 1966.Susan Wood/Getty Images 13 of 56A woman walks down the street in a slum area of Harlem. 1965.Central Press/Getty Images 14 of 56A young girl on a scooter stops to check her nails. 1965.J R/Flickr 15 of 56A sanitation worker attempts to manage a mountain of garbage, which had accumulated during a citywide garbage strike. 1968.Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images 16 of 56Protesters take to the streets of Harlem, protesting police Lt. Thomas Gilligan, who shot and killed a 15-year-old African-American boy. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 17 of 56In Harlem, the protest turns violent. Here, two police men beat a man with their nightsticks. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 18 of 56Police in Harlem watch the action atop a building with their guns drawn. 1964.Library of Congress 19 of 56Demonstrators taunt the police during the Harlem riot of 1964.Library of Congress 20 of 56A young man chats with a girl in a bar. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 21 of 56A fashionable young woman checks out a hat display in a store. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 22 of 56Demonstrators from both sides stand on the sidelines of an anti-Vietnam War march. 1968.Harvey L. Silver/Corbis via Getty Images 23 of 56A homeless man sits in front of a flop house on the Bowery. 1967.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images 24 of 56On West 3rd Street, a young man smokes a cigarette while he leans against his car. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 25 of 56Garment workers at the Abe Schrader Shop stop their work to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral on the radio. 1968.Wikimedia Commons 26 of 56Four girls in Chinatown who have, as the photographer notes in the original caption, heavily assimilated into American culture. 1965.Library of Congress 27 of 56A mother holds her baby tightly. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 28 of 56In the Bronx, a broken-down car lays forgotten on the streets. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 29 of 56Two women hang out in the East Village, a hub for artists in New York. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 30 of 56Lovers gather at Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 31 of 56A woman sits on a bench in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 32 of 56A crowd of people go about their business on the streets of Manhattan. 1964.Library of Congress 33 of 56A fruit stand on Avenue C. 1965.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 34 of 56An old man comforts his crying grandchild. 1962.Library of Congress 35 of 56On Avenue B, a man proudly holds up his baby. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 36 of 56On the Lower East Side, a little girl peers over the balcony. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 37 of 56A young girl in a bohemian part of town. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 38 of 56Young people play in the rain in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 39 of 56In downtown Manhattan, a woman makes her way through the downpour under the cover of her umbrella. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 40 of 56Young people hang out in the East Village. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 41 of 56A man leans against a convenience store window. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 42 of 56A woman stands outside the New York Public Library. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 43 of 56A couple sits on the curb. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 44 of 56In Brooklyn, a group of protesters calls for an end to atomic weapons and the Cold War. 1962.Library of Congress 45 of 56Two students who have been arrested on narcotics charges cover their faces with books because they’re too embarrassed to have their photos appear in the paper. 1968.Library of Congress 46 of 56On Wall Street, people celebrate during the ticker tape parade in honor of the New York Mets’ World Series victory. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 47 of 56The streets of Chinatown. Circa 1965-1970.Devin Hunter/Flickr 48 of 56A man steps out of a fish market. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 49 of 56In Little Italy, a vendor sells groceries out of a pushcart. 1962.Library of Congress 50 of 56Young people stop for snacks at Coney Island. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 51 of 56A man carries a large valentine to his sweetheart. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 52 of 56A couple shares a kiss under an umbrella. 1964.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 53 of 56A couple takes in a piece of artwork. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 54 of 56A young man and a young woman check out the sitars in a music shop. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 55 of 56In the East Village, a young man and an elderly woman share a dance. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 56 of 56Like this gallery?Share it:
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A City On The Brink: 1960s New York In 55 Dramatic Photos View Gallery
Before the recession of 1969 helped send New York spiraling into an era of drugs, poverty, and violence, the city had one last decade of mid-century glory, at least on the surface. New York in the 1960s was a city full of life and diversity, from the executives of Madison Avenue to the artists of the East Village – but it was also a time of turmoil.
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Back From The Brink: 1990s New York In 51 Intense Photos
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1 of 56New York’s skyline sits in darkness during the 1965 blackout.Orville AndrewsFPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 2 of 56The streets of Harlem. Circa 1960.Susan Schiff Faludi/Getty Images 3 of 56A woman walks down the street, sporting the styles of the era. 1969.Vernon Merritt III/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images 4 of 56Two terrified African-American girls flee police officers during a race riot in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, itself sparked by the rioting over police brutality in Harlem. 1964.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images 5 of 56On East 2nd Street, a man shows off his car. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 6 of 56Andy Warhol at work in his studio. 1966.Herve GLOAGUEN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 7 of 56Demonstrators clash with cops during the Stonewall Riots for gay rights. 1969.Joseph Ambrosini/New York Daily News via Wikimedia 8 of 56Bullet holes mark the wall at the Washington Heights assassination site of civil rights leader Malcolm X. 1965.Library of Congress 9 of 56The Beatles wave to fans after arriving at Kennedy Airport. 1964.Library of Congress 10 of 56On the West Side, two young boys pass the time by throwing bricks in an abandoned lot. 1962.Library of Congress 11 of 56Famed for his motto of “jazz is my religion, and surrealism is my point of view,” poet and trumpeter Ted Joans was a fixture of the Beat scene in New York City. He was similarly famed for holding bohemian parties, like in this photograph taken at a costume party in Greenwich Village in 1960.ICP/Getty Images 12 of 56Mary Wells Lawrence, one of the few female ad executives during the 1960s “Mad Men” era, sits in her office. 1966.Susan Wood/Getty Images 13 of 56A woman walks down the street in a slum area of Harlem. 1965.Central Press/Getty Images 14 of 56A young girl on a scooter stops to check her nails. 1965.J R/Flickr 15 of 56A sanitation worker attempts to manage a mountain of garbage, which had accumulated during a citywide garbage strike. 1968.Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images 16 of 56Protesters take to the streets of Harlem, protesting police Lt. Thomas Gilligan, who shot and killed a 15-year-old African-American boy. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 17 of 56In Harlem, the protest turns violent. Here, two police men beat a man with their nightsticks. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 18 of 56Police in Harlem watch the action atop a building with their guns drawn. 1964.Library of Congress 19 of 56Demonstrators taunt the police during the Harlem riot of 1964.Library of Congress 20 of 56A young man chats with a girl in a bar. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 21 of 56A fashionable young woman checks out a hat display in a store. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 22 of 56Demonstrators from both sides stand on the sidelines of an anti-Vietnam War march. 1968.Harvey L. Silver/Corbis via Getty Images 23 of 56A homeless man sits in front of a flop house on the Bowery. 1967.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images 24 of 56On West 3rd Street, a young man smokes a cigarette while he leans against his car. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 25 of 56Garment workers at the Abe Schrader Shop stop their work to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral on the radio. 1968.Wikimedia Commons 26 of 56Four girls in Chinatown who have, as the photographer notes in the original caption, heavily assimilated into American culture. 1965.Library of Congress 27 of 56A mother holds her baby tightly. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 28 of 56In the Bronx, a broken-down car lays forgotten on the streets. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 29 of 56Two women hang out in the East Village, a hub for artists in New York. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 30 of 56Lovers gather at Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 31 of 56A woman sits on a bench in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 32 of 56A crowd of people go about their business on the streets of Manhattan. 1964.Library of Congress 33 of 56A fruit stand on Avenue C. 1965.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 34 of 56An old man comforts his crying grandchild. 1962.Library of Congress 35 of 56On Avenue B, a man proudly holds up his baby. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 36 of 56On the Lower East Side, a little girl peers over the balcony. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 37 of 56A young girl in a bohemian part of town. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 38 of 56Young people play in the rain in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 39 of 56In downtown Manhattan, a woman makes her way through the downpour under the cover of her umbrella. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 40 of 56Young people hang out in the East Village. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 41 of 56A man leans against a convenience store window. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 42 of 56A woman stands outside the New York Public Library. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 43 of 56A couple sits on the curb. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 44 of 56In Brooklyn, a group of protesters calls for an end to atomic weapons and the Cold War. 1962.Library of Congress 45 of 56Two students who have been arrested on narcotics charges cover their faces with books because they’re too embarrassed to have their photos appear in the paper. 1968.Library of Congress 46 of 56On Wall Street, people celebrate during the ticker tape parade in honor of the New York Mets’ World Series victory. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 47 of 56The streets of Chinatown. Circa 1965-1970.Devin Hunter/Flickr 48 of 56A man steps out of a fish market. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 49 of 56In Little Italy, a vendor sells groceries out of a pushcart. 1962.Library of Congress 50 of 56Young people stop for snacks at Coney Island. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 51 of 56A man carries a large valentine to his sweetheart. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 52 of 56A couple shares a kiss under an umbrella. 1964.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 53 of 56A couple takes in a piece of artwork. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 54 of 56A young man and a young woman check out the sitars in a music shop. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 55 of 56In the East Village, a young man and an elderly woman share a dance. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 56 of 56Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
Back From The Brink: 1990s New York In 51 Intense Photos
26 Incredible Photos Of New York City Before It Became New York City
44 Colorized Photos That Bring The Streets Of Century-Old New York City To Life
1 of 56New York’s skyline sits in darkness during the 1965 blackout.Orville AndrewsFPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 2 of 56The streets of Harlem. Circa 1960.Susan Schiff Faludi/Getty Images 3 of 56A woman walks down the street, sporting the styles of the era. 1969.Vernon Merritt III/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images 4 of 56Two terrified African-American girls flee police officers during a race riot in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, itself sparked by the rioting over police brutality in Harlem. 1964.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images 5 of 56On East 2nd Street, a man shows off his car. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 6 of 56Andy Warhol at work in his studio. 1966.Herve GLOAGUEN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 7 of 56Demonstrators clash with cops during the Stonewall Riots for gay rights. 1969.Joseph Ambrosini/New York Daily News via Wikimedia 8 of 56Bullet holes mark the wall at the Washington Heights assassination site of civil rights leader Malcolm X. 1965.Library of Congress 9 of 56The Beatles wave to fans after arriving at Kennedy Airport. 1964.Library of Congress 10 of 56On the West Side, two young boys pass the time by throwing bricks in an abandoned lot. 1962.Library of Congress 11 of 56Famed for his motto of “jazz is my religion, and surrealism is my point of view,” poet and trumpeter Ted Joans was a fixture of the Beat scene in New York City. He was similarly famed for holding bohemian parties, like in this photograph taken at a costume party in Greenwich Village in 1960.ICP/Getty Images 12 of 56Mary Wells Lawrence, one of the few female ad executives during the 1960s “Mad Men” era, sits in her office. 1966.Susan Wood/Getty Images 13 of 56A woman walks down the street in a slum area of Harlem. 1965.Central Press/Getty Images 14 of 56A young girl on a scooter stops to check her nails. 1965.J R/Flickr 15 of 56A sanitation worker attempts to manage a mountain of garbage, which had accumulated during a citywide garbage strike. 1968.Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images 16 of 56Protesters take to the streets of Harlem, protesting police Lt. Thomas Gilligan, who shot and killed a 15-year-old African-American boy. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 17 of 56In Harlem, the protest turns violent. Here, two police men beat a man with their nightsticks. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 18 of 56Police in Harlem watch the action atop a building with their guns drawn. 1964.Library of Congress 19 of 56Demonstrators taunt the police during the Harlem riot of 1964.Library of Congress 20 of 56A young man chats with a girl in a bar. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 21 of 56A fashionable young woman checks out a hat display in a store. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 22 of 56Demonstrators from both sides stand on the sidelines of an anti-Vietnam War march. 1968.Harvey L. Silver/Corbis via Getty Images 23 of 56A homeless man sits in front of a flop house on the Bowery. 1967.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images 24 of 56On West 3rd Street, a young man smokes a cigarette while he leans against his car. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 25 of 56Garment workers at the Abe Schrader Shop stop their work to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral on the radio. 1968.Wikimedia Commons 26 of 56Four girls in Chinatown who have, as the photographer notes in the original caption, heavily assimilated into American culture. 1965.Library of Congress 27 of 56A mother holds her baby tightly. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 28 of 56In the Bronx, a broken-down car lays forgotten on the streets. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 29 of 56Two women hang out in the East Village, a hub for artists in New York. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 30 of 56Lovers gather at Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 31 of 56A woman sits on a bench in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 32 of 56A crowd of people go about their business on the streets of Manhattan. 1964.Library of Congress 33 of 56A fruit stand on Avenue C. 1965.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 34 of 56An old man comforts his crying grandchild. 1962.Library of Congress 35 of 56On Avenue B, a man proudly holds up his baby. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 36 of 56On the Lower East Side, a little girl peers over the balcony. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 37 of 56A young girl in a bohemian part of town. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 38 of 56Young people play in the rain in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 39 of 56In downtown Manhattan, a woman makes her way through the downpour under the cover of her umbrella. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 40 of 56Young people hang out in the East Village. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 41 of 56A man leans against a convenience store window. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 42 of 56A woman stands outside the New York Public Library. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 43 of 56A couple sits on the curb. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 44 of 56In Brooklyn, a group of protesters calls for an end to atomic weapons and the Cold War. 1962.Library of Congress 45 of 56Two students who have been arrested on narcotics charges cover their faces with books because they’re too embarrassed to have their photos appear in the paper. 1968.Library of Congress 46 of 56On Wall Street, people celebrate during the ticker tape parade in honor of the New York Mets’ World Series victory. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 47 of 56The streets of Chinatown. Circa 1965-1970.Devin Hunter/Flickr 48 of 56A man steps out of a fish market. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 49 of 56In Little Italy, a vendor sells groceries out of a pushcart. 1962.Library of Congress 50 of 56Young people stop for snacks at Coney Island. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 51 of 56A man carries a large valentine to his sweetheart. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 52 of 56A couple shares a kiss under an umbrella. 1964.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 53 of 56A couple takes in a piece of artwork. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 54 of 56A young man and a young woman check out the sitars in a music shop. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 55 of 56In the East Village, a young man and an elderly woman share a dance. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 56 of 56Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
Back From The Brink: 1990s New York In 51 Intense Photos
26 Incredible Photos Of New York City Before It Became New York City
44 Colorized Photos That Bring The Streets Of Century-Old New York City To Life
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1 of 56New York’s skyline sits in darkness during the 1965 blackout.Orville AndrewsFPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 2 of 56The streets of Harlem. Circa 1960.Susan Schiff Faludi/Getty Images 3 of 56A woman walks down the street, sporting the styles of the era. 1969.Vernon Merritt III/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images 4 of 56Two terrified African-American girls flee police officers during a race riot in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, itself sparked by the rioting over police brutality in Harlem. 1964.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images 5 of 56On East 2nd Street, a man shows off his car. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 6 of 56Andy Warhol at work in his studio. 1966.Herve GLOAGUEN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 7 of 56Demonstrators clash with cops during the Stonewall Riots for gay rights. 1969.Joseph Ambrosini/New York Daily News via Wikimedia 8 of 56Bullet holes mark the wall at the Washington Heights assassination site of civil rights leader Malcolm X. 1965.Library of Congress 9 of 56The Beatles wave to fans after arriving at Kennedy Airport. 1964.Library of Congress 10 of 56On the West Side, two young boys pass the time by throwing bricks in an abandoned lot. 1962.Library of Congress 11 of 56Famed for his motto of “jazz is my religion, and surrealism is my point of view,” poet and trumpeter Ted Joans was a fixture of the Beat scene in New York City. He was similarly famed for holding bohemian parties, like in this photograph taken at a costume party in Greenwich Village in 1960.ICP/Getty Images 12 of 56Mary Wells Lawrence, one of the few female ad executives during the 1960s “Mad Men” era, sits in her office. 1966.Susan Wood/Getty Images 13 of 56A woman walks down the street in a slum area of Harlem. 1965.Central Press/Getty Images 14 of 56A young girl on a scooter stops to check her nails. 1965.J R/Flickr 15 of 56A sanitation worker attempts to manage a mountain of garbage, which had accumulated during a citywide garbage strike. 1968.Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images 16 of 56Protesters take to the streets of Harlem, protesting police Lt. Thomas Gilligan, who shot and killed a 15-year-old African-American boy. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 17 of 56In Harlem, the protest turns violent. Here, two police men beat a man with their nightsticks. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 18 of 56Police in Harlem watch the action atop a building with their guns drawn. 1964.Library of Congress 19 of 56Demonstrators taunt the police during the Harlem riot of 1964.Library of Congress 20 of 56A young man chats with a girl in a bar. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 21 of 56A fashionable young woman checks out a hat display in a store. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 22 of 56Demonstrators from both sides stand on the sidelines of an anti-Vietnam War march. 1968.Harvey L. Silver/Corbis via Getty Images 23 of 56A homeless man sits in front of a flop house on the Bowery. 1967.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images 24 of 56On West 3rd Street, a young man smokes a cigarette while he leans against his car. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 25 of 56Garment workers at the Abe Schrader Shop stop their work to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral on the radio. 1968.Wikimedia Commons 26 of 56Four girls in Chinatown who have, as the photographer notes in the original caption, heavily assimilated into American culture. 1965.Library of Congress 27 of 56A mother holds her baby tightly. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 28 of 56In the Bronx, a broken-down car lays forgotten on the streets. 1964.Wikimedia Commons 29 of 56Two women hang out in the East Village, a hub for artists in New York. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 30 of 56Lovers gather at Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 31 of 56A woman sits on a bench in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 32 of 56A crowd of people go about their business on the streets of Manhattan. 1964.Library of Congress 33 of 56A fruit stand on Avenue C. 1965.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 34 of 56An old man comforts his crying grandchild. 1962.Library of Congress 35 of 56On Avenue B, a man proudly holds up his baby. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 36 of 56On the Lower East Side, a little girl peers over the balcony. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 37 of 56A young girl in a bohemian part of town. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 38 of 56Young people play in the rain in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 39 of 56In downtown Manhattan, a woman makes her way through the downpour under the cover of her umbrella. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 40 of 56Young people hang out in the East Village. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 41 of 56A man leans against a convenience store window. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 42 of 56A woman stands outside the New York Public Library. 1967.Wikimedia Commons 43 of 56A couple sits on the curb. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 44 of 56In Brooklyn, a group of protesters calls for an end to atomic weapons and the Cold War. 1962.Library of Congress 45 of 56Two students who have been arrested on narcotics charges cover their faces with books because they’re too embarrassed to have their photos appear in the paper. 1968.Library of Congress 46 of 56On Wall Street, people celebrate during the ticker tape parade in honor of the New York Mets’ World Series victory. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 47 of 56The streets of Chinatown. Circa 1965-1970.Devin Hunter/Flickr 48 of 56A man steps out of a fish market. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 49 of 56In Little Italy, a vendor sells groceries out of a pushcart. 1962.Library of Congress 50 of 56Young people stop for snacks at Coney Island. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 51 of 56A man carries a large valentine to his sweetheart. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 52 of 56A couple shares a kiss under an umbrella. 1964.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 53 of 56A couple takes in a piece of artwork. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 54 of 56A young man and a young woman check out the sitars in a music shop. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 55 of 56In the East Village, a young man and an elderly woman share a dance. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr 56 of 56Like this gallery?Share it:
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1 of 56New York’s skyline sits in darkness during the 1965 blackout.Orville AndrewsFPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
2 of 56The streets of Harlem. Circa 1960.Susan Schiff Faludi/Getty Images
3 of 56A woman walks down the street, sporting the styles of the era. 1969.Vernon Merritt III/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
4 of 56Two terrified African-American girls flee police officers during a race riot in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, itself sparked by the rioting over police brutality in Harlem. 1964.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images
5 of 56On East 2nd Street, a man shows off his car. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
6 of 56Andy Warhol at work in his studio. 1966.Herve GLOAGUEN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
7 of 56Demonstrators clash with cops during the Stonewall Riots for gay rights. 1969.Joseph Ambrosini/New York Daily News via Wikimedia
8 of 56Bullet holes mark the wall at the Washington Heights assassination site of civil rights leader Malcolm X. 1965.Library of Congress
9 of 56The Beatles wave to fans after arriving at Kennedy Airport. 1964.Library of Congress
10 of 56On the West Side, two young boys pass the time by throwing bricks in an abandoned lot. 1962.Library of Congress
11 of 56Famed for his motto of “jazz is my religion, and surrealism is my point of view,” poet and trumpeter Ted Joans was a fixture of the Beat scene in New York City. He was similarly famed for holding bohemian parties, like in this photograph taken at a costume party in Greenwich Village in 1960.ICP/Getty Images
12 of 56Mary Wells Lawrence, one of the few female ad executives during the 1960s “Mad Men” era, sits in her office. 1966.Susan Wood/Getty Images
13 of 56A woman walks down the street in a slum area of Harlem. 1965.Central Press/Getty Images
14 of 56A young girl on a scooter stops to check her nails. 1965.J R/Flickr
15 of 56A sanitation worker attempts to manage a mountain of garbage, which had accumulated during a citywide garbage strike. 1968.Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images
16 of 56Protesters take to the streets of Harlem, protesting police Lt. Thomas Gilligan, who shot and killed a 15-year-old African-American boy. 1964.Wikimedia Commons
17 of 56In Harlem, the protest turns violent. Here, two police men beat a man with their nightsticks. 1964.Wikimedia Commons
18 of 56Police in Harlem watch the action atop a building with their guns drawn. 1964.Library of Congress
19 of 56Demonstrators taunt the police during the Harlem riot of 1964.Library of Congress
20 of 56A young man chats with a girl in a bar. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
21 of 56A fashionable young woman checks out a hat display in a store. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
22 of 56Demonstrators from both sides stand on the sidelines of an anti-Vietnam War march. 1968.Harvey L. Silver/Corbis via Getty Images
23 of 56A homeless man sits in front of a flop house on the Bowery. 1967.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
24 of 56On West 3rd Street, a young man smokes a cigarette while he leans against his car. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
25 of 56Garment workers at the Abe Schrader Shop stop their work to listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral on the radio. 1968.Wikimedia Commons
26 of 56Four girls in Chinatown who have, as the photographer notes in the original caption, heavily assimilated into American culture. 1965.Library of Congress
27 of 56A mother holds her baby tightly. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
28 of 56In the Bronx, a broken-down car lays forgotten on the streets. 1964.Wikimedia Commons
29 of 56Two women hang out in the East Village, a hub for artists in New York. 1967.Wikimedia Commons
30 of 56Lovers gather at Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
31 of 56A woman sits on a bench in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.Wikimedia Commons
32 of 56A crowd of people go about their business on the streets of Manhattan. 1964.Library of Congress
33 of 56A fruit stand on Avenue C. 1965.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
34 of 56An old man comforts his crying grandchild. 1962.Library of Congress
35 of 56On Avenue B, a man proudly holds up his baby. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
36 of 56On the Lower East Side, a little girl peers over the balcony. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
37 of 56A young girl in a bohemian part of town. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
38 of 56Young people play in the rain in Tompkins Square Park. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
39 of 56In downtown Manhattan, a woman makes her way through the downpour under the cover of her umbrella. 1967.Wikimedia Commons
40 of 56Young people hang out in the East Village. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
41 of 56A man leans against a convenience store window. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
42 of 56A woman stands outside the New York Public Library. 1967.Wikimedia Commons
43 of 56A couple sits on the curb. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
44 of 56In Brooklyn, a group of protesters calls for an end to atomic weapons and the Cold War. 1962.Library of Congress
45 of 56Two students who have been arrested on narcotics charges cover their faces with books because they’re too embarrassed to have their photos appear in the paper. 1968.Library of Congress
46 of 56On Wall Street, people celebrate during the ticker tape parade in honor of the New York Mets’ World Series victory. 1969.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
47 of 56The streets of Chinatown. Circa 1965-1970.Devin Hunter/Flickr
48 of 56A man steps out of a fish market. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
49 of 56In Little Italy, a vendor sells groceries out of a pushcart. 1962.Library of Congress
50 of 56Young people stop for snacks at Coney Island. 1966.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
51 of 56A man carries a large valentine to his sweetheart. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
52 of 56A couple shares a kiss under an umbrella. 1964.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
53 of 56A couple takes in a piece of artwork. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
54 of 56A young man and a young woman check out the sitars in a music shop. 1968.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
55 of 56In the East Village, a young man and an elderly woman share a dance. 1967.James Jowers/George Eastman Museum/Flickr
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A City On The Brink: 1960s New York In 55 Dramatic Photos View Gallery
A City On The Brink: 1960s New York In 55 Dramatic Photos View Gallery
A City On The Brink: 1960s New York In 55 Dramatic Photos View Gallery
A City On The Brink: 1960s New York In 55 Dramatic Photos View Gallery
A City On The Brink: 1960s New York In 55 Dramatic Photos
View Gallery
Throughout the 1960s, a new wave of immigrants was starting to move in. As American immigration laws relaxed and white residents moved out to the suburbs, New York City was turning into a multicultural metropolis unlike the world had ever seen.
Meanwhile, early LGBT communities were starting to form in Greenwich Village and fight, for the first time, for their rights. By the end of the decade, on June 28, 1969, the LGBT demonstrators of the Stonewall Riots stood up against police oppression and launched the modern gay right’s movement as we know it today.
Across the decade as a whole, people all over New York — and elsewhere — were fighting for change. New York in the 1960s saw countless strikes and protests. And, sometimes, protest boiled over into violence.
During the Harlem riot of 1964, for example, African-Americans rebelled against police brutality after an officer killed a 15-year-old boy. The ensuing riot roped in some 4,000 New Yorkers, leaving more than 100 injured and 450 arrested.
This was far from New York’s only moment of upheaval during this tumultuous decade. As much as the 1960s was a time of vibrancy, culture, and wealth, it was also a time when little cracks started to slip into the background of daily life, usually left unnoticed, warning of the collapse to come.
Next, check out these photographs that show how New York changed even further in the 1970s and the 1980s.
