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Pandemic Diary: Camilo J. Vergara's Photographs Documenting COVID-19

Themes

As a resident of New York City during the COVID pandemic of 2020-2022, Camilo J. Vergara's photographs largely document the changing appearance of everyday life across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. But while the adaptations, suffering, and perseverance of the residents of New York City under COVID-19 are unique, Vergara's photographs nevertheless highlight shared themes that resonate across the many places touched by the pandemic. The below image galleries highlight important aspects of the pandemic including the contributions of Essential Workers, changing modes of transportation (In Transit), the many homemade signs that adorned shop windows and subway halls (The City Speaks), documentation of the Black Lives Matter protests, the Emptying of the urban landscape, and memorials erected to remember those lost to COVID-19 (Remembering the Dead). For More COVID Subjects and Tips for Searching the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog, scroll to the bottom of the page.

Essential Workers

Emptying

In Transit

The City Speaks

Black Lives Matter

Remembering the Dead

More COVID Subjects and Tips for Searching

To search for various themes within Vergara's pandemic documentation, start by searching "Vergara" and "COVID," then add your additional search term to find your topic of interest. Because of the variety of images, it is important to use as many variations of any keywords related to your theme. For example, when searching for pandemic fashions, try doing multiple searches using "Vergara" and "COVID" followed by terms including "masks," "fashion," and "PPE."

Click the below list of links to see more digitized photographs of pandemic themes documented by Vergara in the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog:

All of the photos in this guide are from the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division. Camilo J. Vergara's photographs are used by permission of the photographer. For information on permissions and credit line, see the Camilo José Vergara Rights and Restrictions information page