Gritty Photos Capture the Real Street Life of New York in the 1970s

With a career spanning more than four decades, Vergara was awarded the 2012 National Humanities Medal for his work.

Camilo José Vergara new york street photography

Lower East Side, Manhattan

Camilo José Vergara new york street photography

Hoe Avenue at 172nd Street, Bronx

Camilo José Vergara new york in the 1970s

Hunts Point, South Bronx

Camilo José Vergara 70s new york

Lexington Ave, Harlem

His images of life in New York during the 1970s is a reminder of how much the city has evolved.

Camilo José Vergara new york in the 1970s

East 167th Street, South Bronx

Camilo José Vergara new york in the 1970s

Lower East Side, Manhattan

Camilo José Vergara new york in the 1970s

1148 Longwood Avenue, Bronx

Camilo José Vergara new york in the 1970s

113 South Bronx

Camilo José Vergara new york in the 1970s

Garage, Bushwick, Brooklyn

Camilo José Vergara new york in the 1970s

East Harlem

Camilo José Vergara new york in the 1970s

Boy, Morrisania, South Bronx

Camilo José Vergara: Website | Instagram 
h/t: [Mashable, design you trust]

All images via Camilo José Vergara/Library of Congress.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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