In 1929, after eight years living in Europe, photographer Berenice Abbott (1898–1991) returned to New York City. From 1935 to 1965, she lived and worked together with her partner, art critic Elizabeth McCausland (1899–1965) at 50 Commerce Street in Manhattan.

Abbott was inspired by New York City's dramatic transformation and was determined to capture this momentous change in photographs. In 1935, with the support of the Federal Art Project, Abbott was able to devote her full energies to creating what she called Changing New York. The collection of photographs documenting “the diverse people of the city, the places they live, work and play, and their daily activities” was completed by 1940. Text to accompany Abbott’s photographs was written by McCausland.

In addition to Abbott’s work documenting New York City, she was also a successful portrait photographer and took portraits of several lesbian and bisexual women, including writers Janet Flanner, Djuna Barnes, Jane Heap, and Margaret Anderson, and poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.