Obi Anyanwu
Jun 30, 2016
New Yorkers petition to name street corner after Bill Cunningham
Obi Anyanwu
Jun 30, 2016
Famed fashion photographer Bill Cunningham passed away at age 87 on June 25. Bill was best remembered for his Nikon camera, blue jacket, bicycle, and his knack for catching the most unique outfits, but fashion enthusiasts and New Yorkers wish to keep him in remembrance even longer by naming a street corner after him.
New York resident Nick Nicholson created a Change.org petition to name the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue after the legendary photographer.
The petition stated, “For decades, the extraordinary photographer Bill Cunningham stood on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, photographed New Yorkers, and showed us to the world on the pages of the New York Times. His unerring eye for what was fashionable, his documentation of everyday New Yorkers wearing and doing extraordinary things, and his love of our city and its people made the corner of 57th and Fifth Avenue "Bill Cunningham's Corner" long ago.”
As of June 30 at 1:33pm EST, the petition tallied 4,561 supports and is just 439 shy of its goal to reach 5,000 signatures. Once the goal is met, the petition will be delivered to Mayor Bill de Blasio, Manhattan Community Board 05, NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Meenakshi Srinivan and Dan Garodnick of Manhattan District 4.
Bill Cunningham worked for the New York Times for almost 40 years as a fashion photographer capturing the many styles and trends of New York City residents. In 1953, Bill returned home from Korean War and eventually found work as a fashion reporter. He obtained a camera in the mid-1960s, which began his work as a fashion photographer.
In 2008, the French government awarded him the Legion d’Honneur for his work, and one year later, the New York Landmarks Conservancy named him a Living Landmark. In 2010, a documentary about Bill’s life and career named Bill Cunningham New York was released and introduced him to a wider audience.
Bill passed away at age 87 after being hospitalized for a stroke.
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