“Through the Lens: A Journey of Pride and Protest with Village Voice’s Iconic Photographer”

NEW YORK — Equipped with a camera and a documentarian’s sharp perspective, Village Voice photographer Fred W. McDarrah roamed the streets of New York and documented some of the most memorable moments of the latter half of the 20th century.

His publication’s base was in Greenwich Village, allowing him to observe many pivotal LGBTQ+ events by simply stepping onto the sidewalk. He captured moments and individuals that would have otherwise faded from memory had he not been there.

“He was aware of the happenings. He presented us with places and events that were not mainstream, but certainly held a physical significance here,” mentioned Marilyn Kushner, the curator of a new exhibit showcasing his extraordinary career. The New York Historical (formerly the New-York Historical Society) is exhibiting his crucial work in “Fred W. McDarrah: Pride and Protest,” featuring over 60 of his striking black-and-white images.

McDarrah was present for the landmark “sip-in” at Julius Bar in 1966, an early yet significant demonstration, as well as the much more famous and transformative Stonewall Riots just three years later. By the 1980s, he documented the scene as activists rallied in the streets to raise awareness about the AIDS crisis, capturing the AIDS Quilt, which hauntingly depicted the impact the disease had inflicted in such a brief period.

A notable array of prominent figures crossed his lens, including Larry Kramer of ACT UP and activist Marsha P. Johnson. Renowned names like James Baldwin, Allen Ginsberg, Andy Warhol, Susan Sontag, and Tennessee Williams also appear in his photographs.

“Fred McDarrah was creating a visual archive. He was there for numerous significant events during that era. He documented the women’s rights movement. He captured LGBTQ rights struggles. He was present during the anti-war protests. He was an eyewitness to the fight for Black rights,” Kushner said, highlighting the breadth of history McDarrah preserved from the 1950s into the 1990s.

“The legacy of Fred McDarrah should be summarized as, ‘I was there .. I recorded it for the future generations’,” Kushner expressed.

The exhibit will be available for viewing until July 13, 2025.

Producer: John Antalek
Videographer/editor: Stephen Cioffi
Text: Rolando Pujol