The cover art for the album, featuring electrical poles with the Statue of Liberty in the background, is taken from a 1967 photograph by David Plowden entitled Statue of Liberty from Caven Point Road, Jersey City, New Jersey.

Many remember the late 60s as years of soaring inflation, political upheaval, and the erosion of United States’ prestige worldwide. But the significance of the the late sixties goes beyond high gas prices, cold War, civil rights movement, and Vietnam – profound changes to American politics, societal norms, and the nation’s economy took root.

As a consequence of that instability, the Newark riots were produced. The 1967 Newark riots were an episode of violent, armed conflict in the streets of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Taking place over a four-day period (between July 12 and July 17, 1967), the Newark riots resulted in at least 26 deaths and hundreds more serious injuries. Serious property damage, including shattered storefronts and fires caused by arson, left much of the city’s built environment damaged or destroyed. At the height of the conflict, the National Guard was called upon to occupy the city with tanks and other military equipment, leading to iconic media depictions that were considered particularly shocking when shared in the national press. In the aftermath of the riots, Newark was quite rapidly abandoned by many of its remaining middle-class and affluent residents, as well as much of its white working-class population. This accelerated flight led to a decades-long period of disinvestment and urban blight, including soaring crime rates and gang activity.