Beginning in the 1840s, young boys called “newsies” sold newspapers in major cities across the U.S. in order to make a living or support their struggling families — and as these photos show, the job wasn’t always easy.
Amid the chaotic muddle of turn-of-the-century American cities, commuters striding to or from work would almost certainly encounter young children selling newspapers. These newsboys, or newsies, made up an essential thread in the fabric of American urban life.
Sometimes as young as five or six, newsies emerged in the mid-19th century alongside affordable newspapers. They collected bundles from publishers and hawked the day’s latest stories for a penny in hopes of making money for their families or themselves.