The now 56-year-old Fenton dropped out of New York City’s prestigious Bronx High School of Science in 1968 to photograph anti-war protests and civil rights demonstrations. A collection of 75 of his photos is currently on display at the Steven Kasher Gallery in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. Those gems include shots of hippies, yippies, Black Panthers, Chicago/Columbia University riots, “be-ins” and players such as Abbie Hoffman, Huey Newton, Allen Ginsberg, John and Yoko and Weather Underground leaders Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn. Time, Life, Newsweek and the NYT are among mainstream publications that published Fenton’s pictures. Those photos may have been taken on the moon if you ask many kids today who fail to appreciate the political activism of their parents/grandparents on behalf of a better America. Vietnam, Kent State, “Days of Rage,” urban riots, women’s liberation and the peace movement are even ancient history to many young people who voted last week. Two-thirds of 18-to-29-year-old voters chose Barack Obama.
Fenton participated in a panel discussion Nov. 8, where he sat with Students for a Democratic Society co-founder and former California state senator Tom Hayden, ex-Black Panther Jamal Joseph and Dohrn, who is married to Ayers—a “co-star” with “Joe the Plumber” of John McCain’s Presidential bid.
That discussion followed the election of Obama, which signaled to many people that the age of the Baby Boomers and their obsession with the `60s is now officially over. Obama has made that crystal clear, stating that a move from the divisiveness of the '60s -- which brought this nation to the brink -- is among his Presidential goals.
That’s an admirable aspiration, one that was seconded by counter-cultural veteran Fenton. The NYT quoted Fenton as saying that when he was shooting those political pictures there were demonstrations every week. He added: “I don’t know if that will ever happen again. I hope it doesn’t have to.” It won't as long as this nation has learned the lessons of the '60s.
Fenton’s exhibition runs through Nov. 26.
(Photo: David Fenton)