in New York City

Spectacular Vintage Photos of New York City in the Late 1970s Capturing Streets and Everyday Life

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In the late 1970s New York City was a world away from the polished metropolis it is today. It’s a city grappling with its demons – crime, poverty, and a crumbling infrastructure paint a picture of urban decay. Tourists are warned to stick to the well-lit avenues of Midtown, to retreat indoors as darkness falls, and to stay alert. It’s a city that demands resilience, a city that tests the mettle of its inhabitants.

Into this volatile landscape steps Manel Armengol, a Spanish photojournalist with a fearless spirit and a keen eye for social change. He’s not here for the glitz and glamour; he’s drawn to the raw, unfiltered reality of a city in crisis.

Armengol, seasoned by his experiences documenting Spain’s turbulent transition to democracy, is undeterred by New York’s reputation. He sees beyond the headlines, beyond the grim statistics. He’s here to capture the human stories that unfold amidst the chaos, to document the resilience and spirit of a city on the edge.

Armed with his camera, Armengol ventures beyond the tourist-friendly zones, immersing himself in the vibrant neighborhoods of the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. He captures the everyday lives of New Yorkers – the workers, the immigrants, the artists, the hustlers – all navigating the challenges of a city in flux.

His photographs depict to the city’s struggles. Crumbling buildings, scarred by neglect and adorned with graffiti, stand as silent witnesses to the economic hardship. The subway cars, once symbols of progress, are now canvases for a generation’s discontent. The streets, teeming with life, are also a stage for poverty, addiction, and desperation.

Armengol also captured the vibrant street life of the Lower East Side, where cultures collide and communities thrive. He documents the birth of hip-hop in the Bronx, where young voices find expression through music and dance. He shows us a New York that is vibrant, complex, and full of life. His photographs remind us that even in the darkest of times, there is beauty, there is hope, and there is the indomitable human spirit.

More info: Flickr

#27 Twin Towers and light, LaGuardia Place looking south towards Houston Street / West Broadway. Downtown Manhattan, 1978.

Twin Towers and light, LaGuardia Place looking south towards Houston Street / West Broadway. Downtown Manhattan, 1978.

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#83 Manhattan skyline from Staten Island, Manhattan, 1978.

Manhattan skyline from Staten Island, Manhattan, 1978.

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#87 Elle Nadelman’s sculpture “Man in Open Air,” at MOMA’s Sculpture Garden, MOMA, Manhattan, 1977.

Elle Nadelman's sculpture "Man in Open Air," at MOMA's Sculpture Garden, MOMA, Manhattan, 1977.

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#88 Aristide Maillol’s “The River,” at MOMA’s Sculpture Garden, MOMA, Manhattan, 1977.

Aristide Maillol's "The River," at MOMA's Sculpture Garden, MOMA, Manhattan, 1977.

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#89 Aristide Maillol’s “The River,” at MOMA’s Sculpture Garden, MOMA, Manhattan, 1977.

Aristide Maillol's "The River," at MOMA's Sculpture Garden, MOMA, Manhattan, 1977.

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#98 Red heads in Washington Square Park, Washington Square Park, Manhattan, 1978.

Red heads in Washington Square Park, Washington Square Park, Manhattan, 1978.

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#103 Jack La Lanne, 55th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenue, Manhattan, 1978.

Jack La Lanne, 55th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenue, Manhattan, 1978.

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#109 Spring in Washington Square Park, Manhattan, 1978.

Spring in Washington Square Park, Manhattan, 1978.

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#110 Snow in Washington Square Park, Manhattan, 1978.

Snow in Washington Square Park, Manhattan, 1978.

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#118 People having fun in Central Park, Manhattan, 1978.

People having fun in Central Park, Manhattan, 1978.

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#123 Divine, the Neon Woman at the Nightclub, “The Neon Woman at the Nightclub”, Hurrah, Manhattan, 1978.

Divine, the Neon Woman at the Nightclub, "The Neon Woman at the Nightclub", Hurrah, Manhattan, 1978.

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#124 The Neon Woman at the Nightclub, “The Neon Woman at the Nightclub”, Hurrah, Manhattan, 1978.

The Neon Woman at the Nightclub, "The Neon Woman at the Nightclub", Hurrah, Manhattan, 1978.

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#126 Andy Warhol at Studio 54, W 54th Street, Manhattan, 1978.

Andy Warhol at Studio 54, W 54th Street, Manhattan, 1978.

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#141 Punk-rock record shop at St. Mark’s Place, St. Mark’s Place, Manhattan, 1978.

Punk-rock record shop at St. Mark's Place, St. Mark's Place, Manhattan, 1978.

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#142 Meeting in front of the Plaza Hotel, Manhattan, 1978.

Meeting in front of the Plaza Hotel, Manhattan, 1978.

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#146 An equilibrist in Central Park, Central Park, Manhattan, 1978.

An equilibrist in Central Park, Central Park, Manhattan, 1978.

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#151 A neighborhood in transformation in the Bronx, Manhattan, 1978.

A neighborhood in transformation in the Bronx, Manhattan, 1978.

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#152 A ruined building in the Bronx, Manhattan, 1978.

A ruined building in the Bronx, Manhattan, 1978.

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#153 A ruined building in the Bronx, Manhattan, 1978.

A ruined building in the Bronx, Manhattan, 1978.

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#168 Motorcycle at 184 Bleecker Street at MacDougal, 1978.

Motorcycle at 184 Bleecker Street at MacDougal, 1978.

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#169 Rush hour in the Financial District, Manhattan, 1978.

Rush hour in the Financial District, Manhattan, 1978.

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#172 Loisaida Community, Lower East Side, Manhattan, 1978.

Loisaida Community, Lower East Side, Manhattan, 1978.

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#174 A snowy street and paintings, Lower Manhattan, 1978.

A snowy street and paintings, Lower Manhattan, 1978.

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#175 A Puerto Rican flag and graffiti, New York, 1978.

A Puerto Rican flag and graffiti, New York, 1978.

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#177 Puerto Rican mural painting by artist Robert Lulo.

Puerto Rican mural painting by artist Robert Lulo.

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#181 A car police in a parking lot, Mid-Manhattan, 1978.

A car police in a parking lot, Mid-Manhattan, 1978.

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#187 Motorcycles looking north on MacDougal from Bleecker Street.

Motorcycles looking north on MacDougal from Bleecker Street.

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#194 The Bowery Mission building, located at 227 Bowery, between Rivington and Stanton Streets, Manhattan. It provides food, shelter, medical services, and employment assistance to poor homeless men, 1978.

The Bowery Mission building, located at 227 Bowery, between Rivington and Stanton Streets, Manhattan. It provides food, shelter, medical services, and employment assistance to poor homeless men, 1978.

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#196 A woman with a baby stroller in the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, 1978.

A woman with a baby stroller in the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, 1978.

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#198 Clothing hanging between brick walls in Manhattan, 1978.

Clothing hanging between brick walls in Manhattan, 1978.

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#201 Feeling freedom on Liberty Island, Staten Island, 1978.

Feeling freedom on Liberty Island, Staten Island, 1978.

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#203 A snowy staircase, St. Mark’s Place, Downtown Manhattan, 1977.

A snowy staircase, St. Mark's Place, Downtown Manhattan, 1977.

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#205 Rush hour, Wall Street building, Manhattan, 1978.

Rush hour, Wall Street building, Manhattan, 1978.

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Written by Makayla White

An amateur content creator and dreamer. I Run, Cycle, Swim, Dance and drink a lot of Coffee.

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