Unprecedented in scope, this book is the definitive story behind the most explosive and influential art form of the last 100 years. The book traces the evolution of the style from its early freight train days to its big-city boom on the streets of New York City and Philadelphia to its modern-day influences, and features profiles and behind-the-scenes stories gleaned from over three-years' worth of interviews with graffiti's most prominent names as well as its lesser-known pioneers. Authors Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon provide an insider's perspective on the most popular trends and styles that have dominated the scene for the last 50 years, and provide a thorough examination of the regional differences among major American hubs - New York, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Chicago - and under-the-radar scenes in cities, like Washington, D.C., Boston, Miami, New Orleans, and Albuquerque. THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN GRAFFITI is packed with over 1000 photographs-the majority of which have never before been seen - from more than 200 photographers, most of whom also created the artwork. The authors have spent the better part of the last five years interviewing key figures in the graffiti world throughout America - from the bedrock cities of New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles to the lesser-known, but equally important hotspots of Cleveland, Baltimore, and Phoenix. Approximately 90 percent of the art in this book has never been published, and was sourced directly from the artists who lived the scene, giving the book a raw street vibe as authentic as the history it documents. The foreword is by legendary graffiti artist, Taki 183. Considered one of the founding fathers of the graffiti arts movement, Taki 183 has never before contributed writing to any book or newspaper/magazine article on the subject. Next year, 2011, marks the 40 anniversary of the 1971 New York Times article written on Taki 183-"Taki 183 Spawns Pen Pals"-that ignited the movement in New York City and cast Taki 183 as the world's first famous graffiti artist. His official Web site is http://taki183.net.