Leather Jackets and Lost Youth: A Look at the Teen Gangs of New York City in the 1950s

Leather Jackets and Lost Youth: A Look at the Teen Gangs of New York City in the 1950s

In the late 1950s, Bruce Davidson turned his camera toward a world where most people ignored—teenage street gangs in New York City. At just 25 years old, Davidson approached a gang called The Jokers through a social worker. They were mostly 16-year-olds. He blended in easily, not as a threat, but as someone willing to listen and observe without judgment. His time with The Jokers wasn’t limited to quick snapshots. Davidson followed them daily. He…