Public Policy, Poverty, and Displacement in Late Twentieth Century American Cities, Photojournalistic Archive of Homeless Life, 1969–1989

Social Welfare Urban Crisis

Photograph

Photograph archive documenting homelessness, urban displacement, and public response in major American cities during a period of redevelopment and shifting social policy. The earliest image, from Chicago in 1969, portrays men on Skid Row described in contemporary reporting as “Forgotten Men,” with captions noting irregular labor, social marginalization, and the impending demolition of bars and flophouses under redevelopment plans. Subsequent photographs extend this record across Houston, New Orleans, and Boston, capturing individuals in moments of rest, exhaustion, and survival, including an elderly man seated in a church pew in Houston (1977), a blind man passing a closed flop house in New Orleans (1979), and four men sleeping outdoors in Boston during winter conditions. Together, the images provide visual evidence of the effects of urban renewal, the reduction of low-cost housing, and the persistence of homelessness across regions and decades.

Archive of six photos depicting urban homelessness in the 1960s-80s. Photos measure from 7.75" x 5.25" to 9" x 7.25" inches. All are black and white silver gelatin print Press Photos. The earliest photo, dated from 1969, depicts the "Forgotten Men" of Chicago's Skid Row drinking liquor out of the bottle on a decrepit street. The caption declares they "work spasmodically, reject usual social pattern", but that their way of life is threatened by a redevelopment plan that would raze the bars and flophouses for skyscraper offices and new dwellings. The article continues, "it is hoped that a relocation center for the men will provide them with some alternative and acceptable facilities", though the history of urban renewal projects suggests that relocation for displaced and marginal groups is a seldom-fulfilled afterthought. A photo from Houston, 1977, shows an elderly homeless black man with his head down in a church pew, and due to this pained expression it is unclear if he's sleeping or weeping. A photo from 1979 New Orleans shows a blind man walking past a former Skid Row flop house, which had been closed as with many others like it due to a "restoration effort." This photo represents the run-down environs that . The last photo shows four African American men sleeping on the sidewalk in Boston on December 27, 1989. They huddle around a lit trash barrel for warmth, and in a rare moment of camaraderie, one of the men still awake seems to be helping to blanket a man sleeping on a pallet on that frigid winter night. Many of the photos in these stories on homelessness were taken around Christmas time, invoking sympathy for these men not only on account of harsh weather but also their profound loneliness. These original press photos taken by photojournalist within tight timeframe for the benefit of particular editorial board and with the aim of usage by the press to illustrated an article often affected public opinion in the nation. This archive gives an intimate look at the experience of homelessness in this country in the 1960s-80s. Overall, this archive is in very good condition.

Item #17814

Price: $550.00