Searching for the Seventies The DOCUMERICA Photography Project
Bruce I. Bustard. Foreword by William D. Ruckelshaus
Published by GILES in association with the Foundation for the National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Published — March 2013 (UK and USA)
Dimensions — 144 pages, 280 × 240 mm, (9½ × 11 in)
Illustrations — 120 colour
Format — Hardback
Price — UK£20.00/US$35.00
ISBN — 978-1-907804-15-1
Book Details (pdf) — Documerica-Blad-0926.pdf
Press Release — Capturing the spirit of a decade
Sales Points
“Together the book and exhibition provide a time-capsule look back on 70s society and culture” Amy Wolff, Photo District News
“Bellbottoms, Smog and Afros: Documerica Searches for the Seventies” Bryan Walsh, Lightbox, Time.com
“a fascinating reminder of what life was like during these important 10 years” Noella Ballenger, apogeephoto.com
“a fantastic collection of photographs taken between 1971 and 1977 in the US” The Herald Magazine
Accompanies an exhibition at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., from March 8 - September 8, 2013
About the Book
The 1970s were more than leisure suits, streaking and disco; as this volume shows the ‘70s witnessed profound changes in politics, society and economy.100 remarkable colour photographs, sourced from over 20,000 DOCUMERICA images taken between 1972 and 1978 and now in the U.S. National Archives, highlight the achievements of the decade, capturing its growing environmental awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity.
Drawing inspiration from the depression-era Farm Security Administration (FSA) photography project, DOCUMERICA photographers created a portrait of mid 70s America featuring small Midwestern towns, barrios in the Southwest, and coal mining communities in Appalachia. Their assignments were as varied as African American life in Chicago, urban renewal in Kansas City, commuters in Washington, DC, and migrant farm workers in Colorado. Included are iconic images such as "Hitchhiker with His Dog, 'Tripper' on U.S. 66" by Charles O'Rear and "Approaching Logan Airport" by Michael Philip Manheim
