Original caption states: “Black Youngsters Cool off with Fire Hydrant Water on Chicago’s South Side in the Woodlawn Community. The Kids Don’t go to the City Beaches and Use the Fire Hydrants to Cool Off Instead It’s a Tradition in the Community, Comprised of Very Low Income People. The Area has High Crime and Fire Records. From 1960 to 1970 the Percentage of Chicago Blacks with an Income of $7,000 or More Jumped from 26% to 58%.”
This photograph was taken as part of the Documerica project – a social and environmental photography project sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency during the 1970s.
