Newsies… a tough life…

May 11, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

While movies and stage shows such as Newsies show the life of a 19th century newsboy to be a difficult one, we still walk away with a somewhat romanticized view of their daily struggle.  In contrast, the following article from The New York Times, September 1, 1868, helps us to better understand the conditions under which many of these young boys (barely) survived.  As an integral part of the subculture of nearly every major city of the period, it is interesting to see a contemporary glimpse of the conditions under which they existed.  To better grasp the perils under which they lived, click on the link any of the links to view both “The Newsboys Lodging House” and “A Sheep in Wolves Clothing” .

Filed under: Food for Thought, Post Civil War, The Hobby
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