35 Amazing Black and White Photographs That Capture Street Scenes of the U.S in the 1930s

John Gutmann (1905–1998) was one of America’s most distinctive photographers. Born in Germany where he trained as an artist and art teacher, he fled the Nazis in 1933 and settled in San Francisco, reinventing himself as a photo-journalist.

In the America of the 1930s, Mr. Gutmann found an exuberant car culture, a dizzying array of billboards and graffiti, a racially diverse citizenry, music and dancing in the streets and young women galore. He photographed them all.

Early drive-in restaurant, Hollywood, 1935

Artillery on Market Street, San Francisco, 1934

Street Musicians, New Orleans, 1937

Man Walking by Clown and Lady Graffiti, San Francisco, 1939

High ride, 1937

Mobile, Alabama, 1937

Texas Women, Texas, 1937

Selling Apples: No. 1 Broadway, New York, 1936

Kids Reading Comics, San Francisco, 1938

Automobiles Parked at the beach, Oregon, 1934

Death stalks the Filmore, 1939

First Drive-in theatre, Los Angeles, 1935

Pop Advertising, San Francisco, 1939

Bicycle of a Mexican Barber, San Antonio, 1937

A portrait of Count Basie, San Francisco, 1939

“Cash for your car”, San Francisco, 1939

National Guard tanks, San Francisco, 1934

Elevator Garage, Chicago, 1936

Out of the Pool, San Francisco, 1934

Cord in Harlem, NY, 1936

Reach, San Francisco, 1938

Warriors, Harlem, 1936

The Lesson, Central Park, New York, 1936

Tee-Peeing the Vieux Carré, Mardi Gras, New Orleans, 1937

Lunch hour, San Francisco, 1934

The Cry, 1939

National Guard on the truck, San Francisco, 1934

Man in a hurry, New Orleans, 1937

The Fleet is In, San Francisco, 1934

“Yes, Culumbus did discover America”, San Francisco, 1938

Omen, 1934

Wyoming car, 1936

Majorettes in Parade, California, 1939

Class (Olympic High diving champion Marjorie Gestring), San Francisco, 1936