John Lennon 1974

Bob Gruen captured this photograph of John Lennon sometime in the 1970s. Lennon is seen here wearing a ‘New York City’ t-shirt, a garment that came to represent the musician’s embrace of his adopted home. This was a period when New York City was going through major fiscal and social change, with the near bankruptcy of the municipal government, rising crime, and urban decay. Lennon’s embrace of New York, so clearly on display here, was a cultural statement. He had moved to the city in 1971, seeking a fresh start after the breakup of the Beatles and a desire to distance himself from the British press. He soon became a fixture in the city’s cultural scene and a vocal advocate for its social and political causes. When we study images like this, we are dealing with the creation of celebrity, but also how important public figures attach themselves to political ideas or places. Cultural historians would look at sources such as newspaper articles, documentaries, and social media posts to better understand the significance of Lennon’s t-shirt.