When Rockefeller Center was built during the Great Depression, the project not only produced Art Deco skyscrapers, it also led to an iconic photograph. The picture showed 11 workers eating lunch while sitting on a beam dangling about 850 feet above Manhattan. The photo has long been shrouded in mystery. Who were these guys? Who took the photo? Was it spontaneous or part of a PR campaign? Author Christine Roussel searched for answers for her new book, “Lunch on a Beam: The Making of an American Photograph.”

For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day, click here: https://www.nbcnews.com

» Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC
» Subscribe to Here’s the Scoop podcast: https://www.nbcnews.com/heres-the-scoop-daily-podcast

Every day, NBC News helps people understand what’s happening and why it matters — through fact-based reporting, meaningful conversations, and powerful stories. From its leading news broadcasts — TODAY, NBC Nightly News, Meet the Press, and Dateline — to NBC News NOW, the 24/7 streaming news channel, plus chart-topping podcasts, the NBC News app, and NBCNews.com, NBC News keeps audiences informed and connected to the stories shaping our world.

Connect with NBC News Online!
NBC News App: https://apps.nbcnews.com/mobile
Breaking News Alerts: https://link.nbcnews.com/join/5cj/breaking-news-signup?cid=sm_npd_nn_yt_bn-clip_190621
Visit NBCNews.Com: http://nbcnews.to/ReadNBC
Find NBC News on Facebook: http://nbcnews.to/LikeNBC
Follow NBC News on Twitter: http://nbcnews.to/FollowNBC
Follow NBC News on Instagram: http://nbcnews.to/InstaNBC