Vivid photos of Harlem in the 70s

French photographer Jack Garofalo spent the summer of 1970 in Harlem, working for Paris Match magazine. Then he was able to capture on film the rhythm of life of this legendary New York area, which has long been considered the birthplace of gangsters and a stronghold of criminal gangs. At the time, many residents were leaving Harlem due to poor infrastructure and poor security, but not all could afford to move and stayed in the crime-ridden neighborhoods. Despite all the difficulties, the area was bustling with life.

In the summer of 1970, French photographer Jack Garofalo (1923-2004) spent six weeks in Harlem, a neighborhood in the northern part of New York's Manhattan district that is considered the birthplace of gangsters and a stronghold of criminal gangs.

Over the previous decade, in the midst of mass riots, many local residents who had the opportunity tried to move to the surrounding areas with a more developed and prosperous infrastructure. 

Nevertheless, life continued and the people who remained here out of need or on their own, despite all the difficulties, turned this place into one of the most original and bright points on the map of New York at that time.

Garofalo arrived here to shoot a series of photos for the cover of Paris Match magazine. His candid street shots document the vibrant sights and culture of Harlem, predominantly focusing on its black residents and their daily lives.

Most of the subjects of Garofalo's photographs were people who could not afford to leave Harlem during the turbulent migration period.

In the 1960s, large numbers of local residents moved from Manhattan to the boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx in search of better housing, better schools, and greater security.

Despite the mass exodus that left behind many poor, uneducated, and unemployed locals, Harlem was still a vibrant place.

These striking images show that Harlem continued its vibrant life in its distinctive style, and its inhabitants were filled with a strong sense of community.

The photos preserve the colorful spirit of that unique moment in history so well, as if they open a window to the past-to the Harlem of the 1970s.