On the 50th anniversary of the book's publication, this fall the New-York Historical Society will host an exhibition dedicated to the making of The Power Broker, Robert Caro's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Robert Moses that is in part a history of New York City in the mid 20th Century. Drawing on Caro's manuscripts, outlines, and notes to himself in the Society's Robert A. Caro Archive, the exhibit will run from next Friday, September 6, to February 2, 2025.
The exhibition also includes articles, photographs, and other archival documents that together depict how Caro, a young reporter at Newsday, produced a detailed depiction of Moses's power and influence despite many roadblocks to finding out how Moses operated. The installation demonstrates how years of tenacious and meticulous reporting ultimately paid off. Documents on view illuminate Caro's working process, including how he combed through files and interviewed those in Moses's orbit to reveal the full story behind the creation of Jones Beach on Long Island, the many highways he built that brutally destroyed vibrant neighborhoods, and his other projects and plans over 40 years. Additional selections show interview notes with Moses himself.
Dr. Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the Society, commented: "The Power Broker is a tremendous feat of reporting and narrative storytelling, and a work that continues to shape our understanding of New York City itself. The book has influenced generations of journalists, politicians, city planners, and countless other readers who care about the civic life of our city. I hope visitors come away from this show with a greater understanding of the enormity of what Robert Caro's monumental book meant when it was first published in 1974 and its continued relevance today.”
The Society will host An Evening with Robert Caro on Monday, October 7. In collaboration with a special episode of the 99% Invisible podcast's mini-series celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Power Broker, Caro joins the podcast's hosts, Roman Mars and Elliot Kalan, on stage at the New-York Historical Society's Robert H. Smith Auditorium. This event is sold out but will be live streamed.