On a sunny day in 1975, I went to Travis, Staten Island to photograph its annual Fourth of July Parade. The parade ended in a large schoolyard directly across the street from the home of my friend and fellow photographer John Rossi

As I review my 1975 Parade photographs, I see a more peaceful time in a NYC borough that even then was the city’s most politically conservative. 

The parade participants and marchers were more diverse than I had expected and were happy to be photographed by me and John.

If my health were better, I would return to Travis this month, after 51 years, to photograph its 116^th annual Parade celebrating our country’s founding 250 years ago. Ah, time and tide. 

John and I occasionally photographed near each other but for the most part, we worked separately. I did catch him photographing a young cadet, and towards the end of the day hamming it up for the camera.

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Larry Racioppo’s new book is MEMORIAL ’76 (Fordham University Press), photographs by Larry Racioppo, introduction by Kevin Baker.

Racioppo’s photographs are in the collections of the Museum of the City of New York; the Brooklyn Museum; the New York Public Library; the Brooklyn Public Library; El Museo del Barrio, New York; and the National September 11