Today is a big day in Madman History- it's the 40th anniversary of the NYC blackout!
At 8:37pm, lightening struck a substation along the Brooklyn River. The blast overloaded the system at Indian Point and within an hour knocked out power for all of the five boroughs with exception of a small section of Queens and the Rockaways.
The thing that makes this event so memorable wasn't the blackout itself but what came with it- mass chaos. It was particularly hot that summer with temps in the 100s. The economy of the Big Apple was in distress as well. Add to it that a crazed gunman calling himself the Son of Sam, and people were on edge. So when the power went out, everyone lost their freaking mind.
The night of the blackout was fraught with looting, fighting, and arson. Over 1600 stores were damaged in some way by vandals and looters. Over 4500 people were arrested and nearly 500 police officers were hurt trying to maintain order. There were at least 14 major fires as well.
I really can't do this night in history justice. But I know some folks who can. There's this really awesome documentary about New York City 1977 called NY 77: The Coolest Year in Hell. Check out the video clip below about a recount of what went down on the night of the blackout:
Electricians and power companies worked in unison over the night. By mid-morning the next day, neighborhoods began to get the power back. The last section of the city to get the lights turned back on occurred around 10:39pm.
In the aftermath, a couple of units of the national guard were summoned but by the time they arrived, much of the chaos was over. Over $300 million dollars in damages accrued during the blackout. Yet, President Carter only approved for $11 million in funds to be allocated for repairs of damaged. So a lot of people lost businesses, wealth, and jobs overnight.
One area that saw tremendous growth was the hip hop industry. Many a turntable and piece of audio equipment was stolen that night. As a result of the overnight grab-and-go, the sound and scene of hip hop jumped ahead light years. If you don't believe me, check out the clip from above.
Well, that's my look at my favorite year for today. It was a crazy time to be alive in the Big Apple. Man, do I wish I was there. Until next time...
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