Alley Dwelling Boys, Washington DC
Alley Dwelling Boys, Washington DC
Alley Dwelling Boys, Washington DC
ArtistGodfrey Frankel

Alley Dwelling Boys, Washington DC

Date1943
MediumSilver gelatin print
Dimensions14 × 11 in. (35.6 × 27.9 cm) Framed Size: 21 1/2 × 18 1/2 in. (54.6 × 47 cm)
Credit LineDC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Art Bank Collection
Object numberDCCAH2009.037
ClassificationsPhotographs
Locations
  • Office of Gun Violence Prevention (1350 Penn Avenue NW, 533)
DescriptionDuring World War II, while serving as a journalist for the Daily News, Godfrey Frankel began exploring the alleys of downtown, Capitol Hill, and Southwest Washington. He rode his bike with camera in hand, and for three years he photographed families, especially children, living and playing in the shadow of the Capitol. During the 1950s, most of these alley neighborhoods were lost to urban renewal or gentrification. Frankel’s photographs now serve as a snapshot of an earlier time and place.