#80s chicago

[thequeereview]

Exclusive Interview: Patric McCoy on capturing 1980s Black gay Chicago

On his 38th birthday in December 1984, budding photographer Patric McCoy made a commitment to himself that he would carry his 35mm camera with him wherever he went, take at least one shot a day, and stop whatever he was doing if anyone asked him to take their picture and oblige. Four decades on, the collection of thousands of photographs that McCoy took in the 1980s while on his bicycle commute…

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[thegikitiki]

Blue Light Special, Aisle 6...

   K-Mart, Kedzie Square, Chicago Illinois, 1982

[chicagoinapastlife]

With mom, circa 1984.

[chicagoinapastlife]

My first apartment. I’m very certain that I’m this baby, and that looks a lot like my uncle watching me. What is he doing? :P I also tried very hard to see if I could identify what was on the television but I’m out of ideas. (*2020 edit: Perhaps Family Feud?)

[chicagoinapastlife]

I love this photo of my mom dancing with my uncle (dad’s brother). I guess this was 84 or 85, and they were roommates. I loved this shirt she had, it had two arrows going down the shoulders. I have tried to find another like it but with no luck. My mom and uncle are great friends, and she calls visiting him “Mickeyfest” because of his outspoken, edgy remarks and dry humor.

[chicagoinapastlife]

My mom, at my brother’s dad’s house before they were married.

[chicagoinapastlife]

A multi post showcase of life on the job at Zayre’s. The last photo features my mom on the right, but something got on the photo and it was going to be too much work for me to fix. This is still a fun look into what 80′s retail was like. I’ll have 1 or 2 more posts over the week featuring people at Zayre’s.

[chicagoinapastlife]

Denise Wright on the job at Fotomat. I wonder who’s shoving the camera in her face, haha!