This photograph by Bernard Gotfryd shows a dramatic fireworks display over the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, as part of the bridge’s 1983 centennial celebration.
New York City’s Macy’s 4th of July fireworks have taken place annually since 1958 and were held over the East River from 1976 to 2009. Unfortunately for Brooklynites they have been displayed over the Hudson River since 2009.
But Brooklyn still has one Independence Day tradition that’s all its own: Nathan’s annual hot dog eating contest, which takes place at Coney Island every July 4th. The contest has been an annual tradition even longer than the fireworks, beginning in 1916. The contest was only cancelled twice- in 1941 as a protest to the war in Europe, and in 1971 as a protest to civil unrest and the reign of free love.
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Interested in seeing more photos from BHS's collection? Visit the online image gallery. Use this database to search for individual photographs. Currently a small number of images are available online, but new photos are added regularly. You can also visit BHS's Othmer Library Wed. - Fri., 1 - 5 p.m. to search through the entire collection of images.
