In the Darkest of Moments, New Yorkers Rolled Up Their Sleeves (Literally) to Save the City. They Are About To Do It Again.

Isn’t this an incredible magazine cover? It may be over 45 years old, but it could appear today on the New York Magazine cover (ehhh, home page) and be just as culturally relevant. This image was overseen by the late-great Clay Felker. I had the privledge of knowing Clay in his later years and learned everything I know about journalism and writing from Clay and his wife, the equally legendary Gail Sheehy. I was lucky to have Gail as my first boss right out of college and we stayed close until she passed away this fall. When I look at this image and apply it to today, it feels like a double entendre: New Yorkers are ready to work + get the 💉. Can you spot some of the famous faces in the photo?

In the fall of 1975, New York City was in trouble. That October, the city only had $34 million in cash on hand with over $400 million in debts immediately due. With no way to pay its bills, the city prepared to file for bankruptcy (reading the draft press release feels like an urban obituary). Years of population decline, driven literally by the demonic and poorly conceived plans of Robert Moses, shrinking tax revenue, rising crime, and crumbling mass transit infrastructure caused a cascade of crises that lead the City to the brink of ruin. Thanks…