New York City blackout of 1977

"New York blackout" redirects here. For the song by Soul Asylum, see Candy from a Stranger. For the partial blackout of 2019, see Manhattan blackout of July 2019. For the Northeast blackouts, see Northeast blackout of 1965 and Northeast blackout of 2003.

New York City blackout of 1977
DateJuly 13–14, 1977
Location
New York, New York
GoalsTo take advantage of a blackout to commit crime
MethodsRioting, looting, arson
Parties
NYPD and local authorities
Casualties
Death(s)4[2]
Injuries550+
Arrested4,500
Damage$300 million
Buildings destroyed1,616 looted or destroyed

The New York City blackout of 1977 was an electricity blackout that affected most of New York City on July 13–14, 1977.[3][4] The only unaffected neighborhoods in the city were in southern Queens (including neighborhoods of the Rockaways), which were part of the Long Island Lighting Company system, as well as the Pratt Institute campus in Brooklyn, and a few other large apartment and commercial complexes that operated their own power generators.

Unlike other blackouts that affected the region, namely the Northeast blackouts of 1965 and 2003, the 1977 blackout was confined to New York City and its immediate surrounding areas. The 1977 blackout also resulted in citywide looting and other criminal activity, including arson, unlike the 1965 and 2003 blackouts.[5]

  1. ^ "Where Have All the Looters Gone?". Slate. August 15, 2003. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 'homicide was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "New York reels from massive blackout". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. July 14, 1977. p. 1A.
  4. ^ "Massive power loss closes N.Y. City". The Day. (New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. July 14, 1977. p. 1.
  5. ^ Frum, David (2000). How We Got Here: The '70s. New York: Basic Books. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-465-04195-7.