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Pride: Photographs After Stonewall
The ultimate visual chronicle of life in New York’s gay community circa 1970, by the incomparable Fred McDarrah, released in time for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion and World Pride Day in June 2019.
Fifty years ago this spring, the Stonewall uprising occurred in Greenwich Village―an event that marked the coming-out of New York’s gay community and a refusal by gays to accept underground status that was as important in its way as the Montgomery bus boycott was to the civil rights movement. As a direct outcome of Stonewall, gay pride marches were held in 1970 in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.
The ultimate chronicler of New York’s downtown scene in that period, and therefore of pre-AIDS life in the gay community, was the late Fred W. McDarrah, senior staff photographer of the legendary Village Voice . In 1994, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Stonewall, A Cappella Books issued his lauded collection Gay Photographs from Stonewall to Today .
Working closely with the McDarrah family, and scanning from original negatives, OR Books has completely re-set the original edition of the book, now entitled Pride . The book includes a new foreword by New Yorker critic Hilton Als (who got his first job from McDarrah) and a period essay by Allen Ginsberg and Jill Johnston.
Fifty years ago this spring, the Stonewall uprising occurred in Greenwich Village―an event that marked the coming-out of New York’s gay community and a refusal by gays to accept underground status that was as important in its way as the Montgomery bus boycott was to the civil rights movement. As a direct outcome of Stonewall, gay pride marches were held in 1970 in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.
The ultimate chronicler of New York’s downtown scene in that period, and therefore of pre-AIDS life in the gay community, was the late Fred W. McDarrah, senior staff photographer of the legendary Village Voice . In 1994, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Stonewall, A Cappella Books issued his lauded collection Gay Photographs from Stonewall to Today .
Working closely with the McDarrah family, and scanning from original negatives, OR Books has completely re-set the original edition of the book, now entitled Pride . The book includes a new foreword by New Yorker critic Hilton Als (who got his first job from McDarrah) and a period essay by Allen Ginsberg and Jill Johnston.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 6, 2019
This is a new edition of a 1994 book that came out to mark 25 years from the Stonewall riots. The new edition celebrates 50 years from Stonewall, and the aim is to present once again to the general public photographs taken at the time by Fred McDarrah for the Village Voice.
I was not enthralled by the photographs. Sure, these were heady days, and McDarrah took portraits of famous gay people who lent the movement their voice (e.g. james Baldwin) as well as images of demonstrations and events. To me, however, this book feels more like an historical document than a collection of images that would still have a place on the walls of a museum or an exhibition. Perhaps I'm asking too much, and, without a doubt, historical documents have their value, too. I'd also have liked a more substantial introduction. As it is, we get a foreword by Hilton Als and two very brief introductions by Allen Ginsberg and Jill Johnston.
I wish I could like this book more! Unfortunately, not much thought seems to have gone into this new edition. A more substantial introduction linking the then and the now might have made this a more interesting proposition.
Thank you to netgalley and OR Books for an ARC.
I was not enthralled by the photographs. Sure, these were heady days, and McDarrah took portraits of famous gay people who lent the movement their voice (e.g. james Baldwin) as well as images of demonstrations and events. To me, however, this book feels more like an historical document than a collection of images that would still have a place on the walls of a museum or an exhibition. Perhaps I'm asking too much, and, without a doubt, historical documents have their value, too. I'd also have liked a more substantial introduction. As it is, we get a foreword by Hilton Als and two very brief introductions by Allen Ginsberg and Jill Johnston.
I wish I could like this book more! Unfortunately, not much thought seems to have gone into this new edition. A more substantial introduction linking the then and the now might have made this a more interesting proposition.
Thank you to netgalley and OR Books for an ARC.
April 19, 2019
I received an ARC from Netgalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I saw this book on Netgalley, I knew I had to apply for an ARC. Stonewall essentially was the straw that broke the camel's back for the LGBT community in New York and arguably the U.S. of A. Overall, this is a really great combination of LGBT history and the people who played a part in it through writing and pictures. I was lucky to learn about some people and events that I never heard about and seeing those that I haven't seen or heard about in a while. I love learning about history and seeing people stand up for what they believe in, so this book did exactly what I was hoping for. Honestly, I would have been one of those protesters or people supporting the LGBT members at the time. I'm a big supporter of this community and it bothers me that there is still a long way to go in regards to rights, but it's nice to see we've come a long way since Stonewall. This book serves as a reminder that pushing forward and fighting for what you know to be right in your heart and mind is always worth it. My rating is between 3.75-4 stars. It's possible the ARC had some format issues but I'm sure everything will be fixed by the time the 25th anniversary release date comes around. Really that was my only issue but is why I'm willing to round up.
As soon as I saw this book on Netgalley, I knew I had to apply for an ARC. Stonewall essentially was the straw that broke the camel's back for the LGBT community in New York and arguably the U.S. of A. Overall, this is a really great combination of LGBT history and the people who played a part in it through writing and pictures. I was lucky to learn about some people and events that I never heard about and seeing those that I haven't seen or heard about in a while. I love learning about history and seeing people stand up for what they believe in, so this book did exactly what I was hoping for. Honestly, I would have been one of those protesters or people supporting the LGBT members at the time. I'm a big supporter of this community and it bothers me that there is still a long way to go in regards to rights, but it's nice to see we've come a long way since Stonewall. This book serves as a reminder that pushing forward and fighting for what you know to be right in your heart and mind is always worth it. My rating is between 3.75-4 stars. It's possible the ARC had some format issues but I'm sure everything will be fixed by the time the 25th anniversary release date comes around. Really that was my only issue but is why I'm willing to round up.
April 9, 2019
On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. This was not an uncommon occurrence, as most bars catering to the LGBTQ+ community were raided regularly during the 1960s. However, this night was remarkable for the reaction— bar patrons, fed up with constant harassment, fought back. What immediately followed was six days of protests and continued confrontations with police. Now, it’s marked as the beginning of an organized effort for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.
Fred W. McDarrah, staff photographer for the Village Voice, was on the scene that night. Though his broad series of works have become iconic, these particular photos sparked a close association with the LGBTQ+ rights movement in New York City. He continued to photograph and document the community through the 1990s. Originally published in 1994, this collection of photographs has been revised and expanded to coincide with the 2019 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
As a collection of McDarrah’s work, this book works brilliantly. McDarrah has a way of snapping shots that feels organic. They’re natural, unobtrusive, and a little dangerous. It’s almost as if the pages aren’t handled carefully, the action in each picture might be disrupted. His photos feel as though they are windows, the figures playing out their scenes just beyond the page.
From a historical context, there are a few issues. The Trans community does have some representation, though named Trans individuals are mostly limited to a few spreads of Marsha P. Johnson. Considering the sheer volume of Trans activists promoting LGBTQ+ rights, this seems off.
As well, the introduction to this updated reissue mentions that the original title Gay Pride was switched to just Pride in order to be more inclusive. There are a series of small essays and quotations peppered throughout the book, and some of this space is given to Jim Fouratt. While Fouratt has been a gay activist, he’s also promoted many anti-Trans comments. It’s not that his work should be struck from history, but his prominence here is unfortunate.
There is also no material beyond the mid-1990s, but that solidly keeps this book as just a piece of the story. A pictorial history of any movement should not be an absolute history. The incredible photography should, and does, stand on its own, but it also require supplemental materials to be complete.
However, when viewed with a limited scope, as McDarrah’s front row seat to a piece of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, this book clicks.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
Fred W. McDarrah, staff photographer for the Village Voice, was on the scene that night. Though his broad series of works have become iconic, these particular photos sparked a close association with the LGBTQ+ rights movement in New York City. He continued to photograph and document the community through the 1990s. Originally published in 1994, this collection of photographs has been revised and expanded to coincide with the 2019 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
As a collection of McDarrah’s work, this book works brilliantly. McDarrah has a way of snapping shots that feels organic. They’re natural, unobtrusive, and a little dangerous. It’s almost as if the pages aren’t handled carefully, the action in each picture might be disrupted. His photos feel as though they are windows, the figures playing out their scenes just beyond the page.
From a historical context, there are a few issues. The Trans community does have some representation, though named Trans individuals are mostly limited to a few spreads of Marsha P. Johnson. Considering the sheer volume of Trans activists promoting LGBTQ+ rights, this seems off.
As well, the introduction to this updated reissue mentions that the original title Gay Pride was switched to just Pride in order to be more inclusive. There are a series of small essays and quotations peppered throughout the book, and some of this space is given to Jim Fouratt. While Fouratt has been a gay activist, he’s also promoted many anti-Trans comments. It’s not that his work should be struck from history, but his prominence here is unfortunate.
There is also no material beyond the mid-1990s, but that solidly keeps this book as just a piece of the story. A pictorial history of any movement should not be an absolute history. The incredible photography should, and does, stand on its own, but it also require supplemental materials to be complete.
However, when viewed with a limited scope, as McDarrah’s front row seat to a piece of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, this book clicks.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
January 16, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Pride is an update and release of Fred McDarrah's seminal pictorial collection from 1994, which was released around the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. This edition will be released around the 50th anniversary and includes a new forward by Pulitzer winner Hilton Als.
Due out 7th May 2019 from OR books, it'll be 240 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
It's been interesting to me to see the dichotomy between how much change has occurred in the last 50 years while not -seeming- to move forward quickly enough or comprehensively enough while living through it. These pictures provide a window into a vanished lifetime. These photos were taken pre-AIDS and there's a vanished exuberance in a lot of the pictures; everyone's more cautious (and smarter) now.
The pictures are accompanied by commentary and prose by iconic writers/poets, including Jill Johnston, Allen Ginsberg, and Hilton Als, as mentioned earlier.
This edition was re-titled from the original Gay Pride to be more inclusive. The photos are annotated well, but there's no index or cross referencing to speak of. For readers willing to put in some effort and dig a bit, there's an impressive amount of history to be mined. As someone who was a small child of politically active parents at the time, I can remember pride and peace marches aplenty. What I didn't know at the time was the human pain of which the political movements were born. In the modern American conservative political climate, I sincerely hope we're not headed back to those vanished days of brutality.
This would make a valuable support text for classroom modules for a number of history, culture, and gender studies subjects. There's mature content in the book, including sex and violence.
Four stars. Important work.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Pride is an update and release of Fred McDarrah's seminal pictorial collection from 1994, which was released around the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. This edition will be released around the 50th anniversary and includes a new forward by Pulitzer winner Hilton Als.
Due out 7th May 2019 from OR books, it'll be 240 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
It's been interesting to me to see the dichotomy between how much change has occurred in the last 50 years while not -seeming- to move forward quickly enough or comprehensively enough while living through it. These pictures provide a window into a vanished lifetime. These photos were taken pre-AIDS and there's a vanished exuberance in a lot of the pictures; everyone's more cautious (and smarter) now.
The pictures are accompanied by commentary and prose by iconic writers/poets, including Jill Johnston, Allen Ginsberg, and Hilton Als, as mentioned earlier.
This edition was re-titled from the original Gay Pride to be more inclusive. The photos are annotated well, but there's no index or cross referencing to speak of. For readers willing to put in some effort and dig a bit, there's an impressive amount of history to be mined. As someone who was a small child of politically active parents at the time, I can remember pride and peace marches aplenty. What I didn't know at the time was the human pain of which the political movements were born. In the modern American conservative political climate, I sincerely hope we're not headed back to those vanished days of brutality.
This would make a valuable support text for classroom modules for a number of history, culture, and gender studies subjects. There's mature content in the book, including sex and violence.
Four stars. Important work.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
January 31, 2019
A new edition of a classic book about the gay community, this is a great document, filled with great photographies, anecdotes and little bits of info.
The author is the first staff photographer and first picture editor of the iconic Village Voice, and that should be enough to tell you how good it is.
A must-read for anyone interested in the LGTB history.
The author is the first staff photographer and first picture editor of the iconic Village Voice, and that should be enough to tell you how good it is.
A must-read for anyone interested in the LGTB history.
April 1, 2019
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
This book was short and sweet! Such a great collection of pictures with short descriptions and quotes that give you a deeper look into what was happening in New York City in the months and years after Stonewall. It also introduced me to a wide range of LGBT New Yorkers that I hadn't heard about before!
This book was short and sweet! Such a great collection of pictures with short descriptions and quotes that give you a deeper look into what was happening in New York City in the months and years after Stonewall. It also introduced me to a wide range of LGBT New Yorkers that I hadn't heard about before!
April 17, 2019
An interesting visual capsule of the Gay Rights Marches 1969-1993.
It's a great supplementary resource for anybody getting into queer history; includes some well known faces and interspersed titbits for context.
It's a great supplementary resource for anybody getting into queer history; includes some well known faces and interspersed titbits for context.
June 15, 2019
A must see and a must read for anyone interested in the early LGBT rights movement
This is a truly great memento of the first 25years years of the movement. I was at many of these events and knew many of these people and I was deeply moved to see them again.
This is a truly great memento of the first 25years years of the movement. I was at many of these events and knew many of these people and I was deeply moved to see them again.
Read
December 20, 2020Really interesting and educational read. I would really recommend it for people interested in the LGBTQ+ community, music, journalism, photography and generally, history.
DNF'd at 30% - another case of too much information and me not being especially interested.
DNF'd at 30% - another case of too much information and me not being especially interested.
May 4, 2019
This is an interesting collection of photos and stories. I enjoyed McDarrah's photographs and the accompanying tales of those in the photo. This is a great coffee table book.
December 22, 2022
It was really cool to see photos of lgbtq+ people and how they lived after the 1969 stonewall uprising and beyond. Pieces of history!!
February 15, 2023
beautiful
May 6, 2019
I was provide an eARC by Netgalley for an honest review.
This was a wonderful opportunity for me to glimpse the LGBT community through pictures and writings by those that were instrumental in the moving the gay community from underground to a more the mainstream. Being from a small town, I was more naive about the gay community simply because it was an “in the closet” community that I was not a party of. I thought the the pictures & writings in this book provided me a better understanding and acceptance of the gay community and the thought behind the Stonewall Riots.
I recommend for anyone interested in the history of the LGBT communities!
This was a wonderful opportunity for me to glimpse the LGBT community through pictures and writings by those that were instrumental in the moving the gay community from underground to a more the mainstream. Being from a small town, I was more naive about the gay community simply because it was an “in the closet” community that I was not a party of. I thought the the pictures & writings in this book provided me a better understanding and acceptance of the gay community and the thought behind the Stonewall Riots.
I recommend for anyone interested in the history of the LGBT communities!
May 10, 2019
Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, Pride: Photographs After Stonewall has been released; an updated version of Gay Pride: Photographs from Stonewall to Today which was released for the 25th anniversary of the riots in 1994. Fred W. McDarrah's collection of photographs and quotes taken for Village Voice, an alternative newsweekly in New York, created a documentary of the times. With this release, it shows pictures of before, during, and after the Stonewall Riots. The Stonewall Riots were pivotal not only for the LGBTQIA community in New York, but it sparked a change throughout the country, creating the first pride parades.
The photographs were inspiring to see and the quotes made are still relevant today. People were not only fighting for their rights and safety for being gay, but were also banning together to fight for women, people of color, and civil rights. They pushed for more medical research in the wake of the AIDS epidemic, they fought for their right to love, they fought for their rights to be able to just go to a bar and have a drink, they fought for their rights to love, and they fought for their rights to be seen as human. This was a powerful collection and to see the strength of the community fighting for what they believed in and fighting against discrimination was incredible. A lot of progress has been made since the Stonewall Riots in 1969, but a lot still needs to be done.
The photographs were inspiring to see and the quotes made are still relevant today. People were not only fighting for their rights and safety for being gay, but were also banning together to fight for women, people of color, and civil rights. They pushed for more medical research in the wake of the AIDS epidemic, they fought for their right to love, they fought for their rights to be able to just go to a bar and have a drink, they fought for their rights to love, and they fought for their rights to be seen as human. This was a powerful collection and to see the strength of the community fighting for what they believed in and fighting against discrimination was incredible. A lot of progress has been made since the Stonewall Riots in 1969, but a lot still needs to be done.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews