The grit and glamour of New York in the 1970s and ’80s

Street life — Scottish photographer Douglas Corrance recounts capturing joyous street scenes in NYC in an era where almost anyone could afford to live, work and play in the city.

By 1975, New York City teetered along the edge of bankruptcy, some $11 billion in debt. By October the situation had reached dire straits when President Gerald R. Ford refused a federal bailout, prompting the infamous Daily News front page: “FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD”. 

The headline cost Ford re-election the following year, and haunted him for the rest of his life – a fitting turn of events for the man who dared to turn his back on the city that never sleeps. New Yorkers, on the other hand, had no choice but to soldier on. 

Despite the crumbling infrastructure and economic decline further exacerbated by the Nixon White House of “benign neglect,” which systematically denied government services to Black and brown communities nationwide, and landlord-sponsored arson that reduced city blocks to rubble at record speed, New Yorkers proved to be resilient.

In the late 1970s, Douglas Corrance arrived in New York on holiday from his job as staff photographer at the Scottish Tourist Board. After completing several books on Scottish hometown cities, Corrance decided to expand his reach and start traveling the globe doing freelance tourism projects. 

The self-described “natural-born flâneur” immediately felt at ease inside the energetic flow of the city’s fabled walking culture. In a town where many natives never learn to drive, the streets have become theaters of public life. Equal parts thoroughfare and town square, the endless flow of activity makes it an idea locale for street photography.

In the new book, New York 1970s-1980s (Café Royal Books), Corrance revisits his archive to create a joyous celebration of street life: everything from scenes of old men gathered to play backgammon at card tables, to artists painting en plein air, and rollerskaters pausing for a quick stretch outside the Guggenheim Museum.

Central Park

A rollerskater at the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum on 5th Avenue

Like his work in Glasgow, Corrance captures the city at a turning point. “It felt like the end of what I saw as the ‘real’ New York, with artists and musicians still working in lofts, until pressure from real estate companies drove up the rent, forced them out and some interesting characters were lost in order to spruce up the neighbourhood,” he says.

But in Corrance’s pictures, we return to a simpler time: an era where anyone could afford to live, work and play in New York, and every block boasted a panoply of eccentric characters and street corner legends. 

“A highlight for me was getting to meet a hero of mine, the great photographer Arnold Newman,” Corrance recalls of the famed portraitist. “While walking across Central Park with him, he said, ‘Had you been here last week I would have introduced you to Henri Cartier-Bresson.’”

Although Corrance missed that window, his travels to the city provided him with many more opportunities to check out tourist attractions and local hangouts alike. There’s the requisite blend of icons and oddballs that makes the city thrive, the kinds of things you can only see – in the words of famed gossip columnist Cindy Adams – “Only in New York, kids. Only in New York.”

The Guardian Angels, whose role is to protect the Subway’s passengers.

New York 1970s-1980s is out now on Café Royal Books.

Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter. 

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

 


Ad

Latest on Huck

Crowd of silhouetted people at a nighttime event with colourful lighting and a bright spotlight on stage.
Music

Clubbing is good for your health, according to neuroscientists

We Become One — A new documentary explores the positive effects that dance music and shared musical experiences can have on the human brain.

Written by: Zahra Onsori

Indoor skate park with ramps, riders, and abstract architectural elements in blue, white, and black tones.
Sport

In England’s rural north, skateboarding is femme

Zine scene — A new project from visual artist Juliet Klottrup, ‘Skate Like a Lass’, spotlights the FLINTA+ collectives who are redefining what it means to be a skater.

Written by: Zahra Onsori

Black-and-white image of two men in suits, with the text "EVERYTHING IS COMPUTER" in large bright yellow letters overlaying the image.
Culture

Donald Trump says that “everything is computer” – does he have a point?

Huck’s March dispatch — As AI creeps increasingly into our daily lives and our attention spans are lost to social media content, newsletter columnist Emma Garland unpicks the US President’s eyebrow-raising turn of phrase at a White House car show.

Written by: Emma Garland

A group of people, likely children, sitting around a table surrounded by various comic books, magazines, and plates of food.
© Michael Jang
Culture

How the ’70s radicalised the landscape of photography

The ’70s Lens — Half a century ago, visionary photographers including Nan Goldin, Joel Meyerowitz and Larry Sultan pushed the envelope of what was possible in image-making, blurring the boundaries between high and low art. A new exhibition revisits the era.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Silhouette of person on horseback against orange sunset sky, with electricity pylon in foreground.
Culture

The inner-city riding club serving Newcastle’s youth

Stepney Western — Harry Lawson’s new experimental documentary sets up a Western film in the English North East, by focusing on a stables that also functions as a charity for disadvantaged young people.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Couple sitting on ground in book-filled environment
Culture

The British intimacy of ‘the afters’

Not Going Home — In 1998, photographer Mischa Haller travelled to nightclubs just as their doors were shutting and dancers streamed out onto the streets, capturing the country’s partying youth in the early morning haze.

Written by: Ella Glossop

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to stay informed from the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, with personal takes on the state of media and pop culture in your inbox every month from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.