Fire destroyed the St. Stanislaus Church hall in Fells Point, 1978 July

This collection consists of 219 black and white photographs taken in East Baltimore from 1976 to 1980 as part of the East Baltimore Documentary Photography Project by Linda G. Rich (1949-1998), Clark Netherwood (1932-2021), and Elinor B. Cahn (1925-2020). The photographs depict various subjects including religious and ethnic communities, local businesses and factories, portraiture of community members, the interiors and exteriors of Baltimorean homes, and general geographic shots of the city.

Included among these photographs are some well-known Baltimoreans such as Johnny Eck (1911-1991), an early American filmmaker and actor in the 1932 film “Freaks;” Edith Massey (1918-1984), an actress known for her collaborative work with the filmmaker John Waters; and Joe Poodles (1909-1982), a boxer who contributed to the early 20th century boxing profession. The photographs also include several cultural events such as the “I Am An American Day” parade, which was held annually by the East Baltimore neighborhoods to celebrate immigrants that had received American citizenship. Additionally, there are several photographs of arabbers, street vendors who sold their wares on horse-drawn carts along the streets of Baltimore.