South Bronx Circa 1979-1987

Author and photographer Lisa Kahane spent a good deal of the 1980s documenting the South Bronx, which at the time was plagued by arson, disease, poor economic planning and displacement. She captured "the human side of urban decay" as the neighborhood fell apart and tried to pick itself back up. She now shows it all, decades later, in her book Do Not Give Way To Evil: Photographs of the South Bronx, 1979-1987 -- here are some images from it.

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By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on September 22, 2008 4:06 PM

Comments [rss]

everyAframe

^ yeah, absolutely.

dapwell

Wow really?

"And why is it everyone looks like they're more fun and so much sweeter? The two guys in the "Uptown" shot today would be like, "WTF u looking at, byotch?"

MrCow

is Lisa Kahane black? i don't think she could be white and photograph the south bronx

S.K.

Kahane is a Jewish last name.

1987porsche944

Oh wow, got some buried memories resurfacing right now.

These photos look so amazing that I just went to amazon and bought the book!

Post of high quality. =)

Rob T Firefly

Broken glass, everywhere...

fionafee

My Father grew up on "hun thirty eight street" long time ago. Crazy that now things have changed! Even when ABC took a risk to put a factory store there people laughed. My family has been invloved in the South Bronx for decades and we still are. We are NEVER going to call it "sobro" either......south bronx, south south bronx.....

Grand Concoursian

Bronx folks are nice, people. It heartens me to see Gothamist (and its commenters) giving credit where credit is due. For every supposed tale of terror in the "ghetto," there are a hundred more good times.

emilydickinson

Those are very cool shots.

'You can tell your mother, you can tell you father, but the coat your wearing is a real fake bomber.'

I had that said to me as a youngin' in the Bronx during this era.

Check out '80 Blocks to Tiffanys' it's the best documentary about gangs in the Bronx during this period. It's on YouTube, I'm not sure if there is a DVD.

everyAframe

And why is it everyone looks like they're more fun and so much sweeter? The two guys in the "Uptown" shot today would be like, "WTF u looking at, byotch?"

mrguy

i don't know why, but in every picture i see from the 70s and 80s, it always looks like it was extremely hot and muggy. yes, even the ones from winter.