During the late 1960s and early 1970s, a photographer named Paul McDonagh captured a lot of amazing black and white pictures on the streets of New York City. This time period was a particularly revolutionary one in American history because there was a lot of violence and protests going on over various political issues such as civil rights and the Vietnam War.
McDonagh’s photographs captured individuals and groups of people doing everyday things. He captured a blind man and an old woman, kids playing in a tree at the Central Park pond, a priest walking down the street with dark glasses on, a couple eating at a Central Park café, and so many others. When you look at these photos, you truly get a sense of what people were doing in their everyday lives in the city back then when they weren’t involved in protests or violent acts.
Blind Man, Old Woman, Hari Krishnas, NYC, 1972
Central Park Pond – Kids in Tree, 1973
Priest with Dark Glasses, NYC, 1970
Couple, Central Park Cafe, 1973
Children with Bookbag, NYC, 1968
Two Women in White Shorts, 1973
Woman in Steam, NYC, 1969
Women in Fur Coats, 1974
Hari Krishna and Blind Man, 1973
Pregnant Woman Crossing 85th Street, NYC, 1969
Portrait of a Man in Hat, NYC, 1969
Three Car Salesmen, 1973
Girl and Woman Touching Horses, 1973
Central Park, Couple Kissing, NYC, 1972
Central Park, Couple with Baby in Newspaper, 1973
Couple Kissing on Street Corner, 1973
Bryant Park Concert, NYC, 1970
Asian Girl with Hand to Hair, NYC, 1968
Men and Woman on Crutches, 1973
Woman in Wheelchair, NYC, 1969
Two Men Stand on the Pipes Watching Parade, 1975
Street Corner, East Side, Man with Shopping Bag, 1973
