Images of America in Crisis in the 1970s

[Locutus]

As the 1960s came to an end, the rapid development of the American postwar decades had begun to take a noticeable toll on the environment, and the public began calling for action. In November 1971, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a massive photo documentary project, called DOCUMERICA, to record these changes. More than 100 photographers were hired not only to document specific environmental issues, but to capture images of everyday life, showing how we interacted with the environment and capturing the way parts of America looked at that moment in history. By 1974, more than 80,000 photographs had been produced. The National Archives has made 15,000 of these images available, and I've spent much of the past week combing through those to bring you these 46 glimpses of America in the early 1970s, with an eye toward our then-ailing environment. [46 photos]

DOCUMERICA: Images of America in Crisis in the 1970s - Alan Taylor - In Focus - The Atlantic

 

[Liberalman]

Geez those darn flashbacks are starting again

 

[petros]

That was cool.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Some pretty awesome imagery there.

 

[Cliffy]

I was living in the bush at the time and missed the whole thing. I also missed all the TV shows of the seventies. Some people think I am culturally deprived because of it.

 

[Bar Sinister]

That brings back a few memories; not all of them good. Thanks, Locutus.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

I saw something very similar to this in my Long Haul Days. Quite ominous to see.

 

[gopher]

Wow - awesome photos - gotta save that for deeper viewing later on.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Walter]

And what do these places look like today?

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

And what do these places look like today?

I would imagine you wouldn't recognize quite a few today.

 

[Cliffy]

I saw something very similar to this in my Long Haul Days. Quite ominous to see.

What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered
and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives
in the side of the dawn
and tied her with fences
and dragged her down - The Doors

 

[TenPenny]

I liked the oil rigs in the gulf.

Reminds of the fact that today, there are tons of rigs in Los Angeles pumping oil, but they're disguised as buildings and other towers so that people don't even know they're there.