The publication, available from Damiani, features images captured by the couple after their arrival in the United States in 1965. The text describes the period as one of profound turmoil where youth and activists pushed for change through spirit, music, and imagination.
The book covers a wide range of historical moments, including the first Earth Day in New York on April 22, 1970, where thousands of young people demanded environmental protection. It also documents the Vietnam War protests, including the aftermath of the Kent State shootings and veterans occupying the Statue of Liberty.
Specific chapters address the women’s movement, the LGBTQ+ community, and spiritual groups. The authors recount their first encounter with the LGBTQ+ community in 1965 on West 65th Street, where they photographed two young trans people and their friends. The text notes that visibility was dangerous at the time, making the subjects’ trust and courage significant.
Other documented events include the 1972 Republican Convention in Miami, where police arrested 1,000 demonstrators, and the funeral in Brooklyn for the six Black prisoners found dead at Attica Prison. The book also features images from the 50th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1970, where the National Organization for Women called for a strike for equality.
The Laffonts also photographed the ‘Fight of the Century’ between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden, focusing on the crowd’s flamboyant fashion. Additionally, the book includes images of the Savage Skulls gang in the Bronx and spiritual communities such as those at Explo ’72 in Dallas and Rajneeshpuram in Oregon.
The authors describe the project as a love letter to the heroes and heroines who changed America, emphasizing that the subjects were young, often underestimated, and determined to make a difference.