September 22, 2008
Sep 22: Tompkins Square Park (PowerHouse book excerpt)
Homeless people and their supporters protest for affordable housing on Avenue A. July 1989
Summer, 1988. Tompkins Square Park, which long served as a makeshift home for the homeless and a center for social unrest, erupted in violence when the New York City Police and hundreds of protesters clashed over ideological differences. Residents of the Lower East Side, historically home to diverse immigrant communities but facing gentrification, united to protest the 1 a.m. curfew the city was attempting to enforce on the park, in effect banishing the homeless and closing off many areas of the park that were once public.
Be sure to check out the longer, excerpted collection of photos from Q. Sakamaki's book, Tompkins Square Park here.
(by Q. Sakamaki, from Tompkins Square Park, powerHouse Books)
Discuss this photo »
« Previous Photo
Next Photo »
Latest Photo
Right: Portraits from the Evangelical Ivy Leagueby Jona Frank Juli, 18 Freshman, Spring 2006 Major: Education - Classical Liberal Arts When I was looking at colleges for an education degree, I talked to Mama about friends that she had who had education degrees. She said that those women went and ... View »
Comments
I can relate to the homeless people in your Featured Photo protesting in Tompkins Square Park. As a homeless person myself, I too have experienced those awkward and sometimes embarrassing ideological differences that seem to pop up between people like me and those who would prefer that I cease to exist.
Posted by: Gregsdiary on 09/25/08 at 2:15 PM Respond