in New York City

Beyond the Gilded Age: Jacob Riis’s Photos Reveal the Dark Side of 1890s New York City

The 1890s in New York City were a time of immense change and stark contrasts.  The city was a bustling center of commerce and innovation, attracting waves of immigrants seeking opportunity. Yet, beneath the veneer of progress, a darker reality persisted. Poverty, overcrowding, and disease were rampant in the city’s slums, creating a stark divide between the “haves” and the “have-nots.”  Jacob Riis, a Danish immigrant turned journalist and social reformer, dedicated this decade to exposing the plight of the city’s poor and pushing for social change.

Riis, armed with his camera and a powerful sense of empathy, became a voice for the voiceless.  He ventured into the city’s most impoverished neighborhoods, documenting the lives of those forgotten by society.  His photographs, often taken in dimly lit tenements and crowded alleyways, captured the harsh realities of life in these forgotten corners.  These images, stark and unflinching, served as a powerful indictment of the city’s neglect.

Battling for Reform

Riis’s efforts in the 1890s focused on several key areas. He documented the plight of the city’s children, capturing images of them living in poverty, working in dangerous factories, and suffering from preventable diseases. He exposed the exploitation of immigrant workers, highlighting the long hours, low wages, and hazardous conditions they endured in sweatshops and factories.  He also documented the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in the city’s tenements, arguing that these conditions were a breeding ground for disease and crime.

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He faced opposition from powerful landlords and politicians who profited from the status quo. But Riis persisted, using his photographs and writings to galvanize public support for reform.  He worked closely with other reformers and activists, pushing for legislation to improve housing, sanitation, and working conditions.

The 1890s saw significant progress in the fight for social justice in New York City.  The Tenement House Committee, formed in 1894, investigated the city’s slums and recommended reforms.  The New York State Legislature passed several laws aimed at improving housing conditions, including the landmark Tenement House Act of 1901.

Riis’s work in the 1890s helped to lay the foundation for the Progressive Era, a period of widespread social and political reform.  His photographs and writings served as a powerful catalyst for change, inspiring others to join the fight for social justice.  He helped to awaken the city’s conscience and set in motion a movement that would transform American society.

#1 Election inspectors at the Beach Street School, 1890s.

Election inspectors at the Beach Street School, 1890s.

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#2 A Talmud school in a Hester Street tenement, 1890s.

A Talmud school in a Hester Street tenement, 1890s.

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#3 Poverty Gap children playing at Coney Island, 1890s.

Poverty Gap children playing at Coney Island, 1890s.

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#9 “Little Susie at her work,” Gotham Court, 1890s.

"Little Susie at her work," Gotham Court, 1890s.

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#13 Organized Charity: Night Messenger Service, 1890s.

Organized Charity: Night Messenger Service, 1890s.

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#17 The “Sun” office delivery room at 2 a.m., 1890s.

The "Sun" office delivery room at 2 a.m., 1890s.

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#18 “Knee-pants” at a Ludlow Street sweater shop, 1890s.

"Knee-pants" at a Ludlow Street sweater shop, 1890s.

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#22 The Short Tail Gang at Corlears Hook Pier, 1890s.

The Short Tail Gang at Corlears Hook Pier, 1890s.

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#24 The Short Tail Gang at Corlears Hook Pier, 1890s.

The Short Tail Gang at Corlears Hook Pier, 1890s.

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#35 Baby nursery supper at the Five Points House of Industry, 1890s.

Baby nursery supper at the Five Points House of Industry, 1890s.

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#36 Organized Charity: Fighting tuberculosis on a roof, 1890s.

Organized Charity: Fighting tuberculosis on a roof, 1890s.

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#37 Lodgers in a crowded Bayard Street tenement, 1890s.

Lodgers in a crowded Bayard Street tenement, 1890s.

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#38 Confidence men from the Rogue’s Gallery, 1890s.

Confidence men from the Rogue's Gallery, 1890s.

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#39 Saluting the flag at the Mott Street Industrial School, 1890s.

Saluting the flag at the Mott Street Industrial School, 1890s.

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#41 Blackwell’s Island Charity Hospital baby ward, 1890s.

Blackwell's Island Charity Hospital baby ward, 1890s.

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#45 The playground of the Essex Market Public School, 1890s.

The playground of the Essex Market Public School, 1890s.

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#49 Night school at a West Side lodging house, 1890s.

Night school at a West Side lodging house, 1890s.

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#50 Women’s lodging room at the Eldridge Street Police Station, 1890s.

Women's lodging room at the Eldridge Street Police Station, 1890s.

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#52 Saluting the flag at the Mott Street Industrial School, 1890s.

Saluting the flag at the Mott Street Industrial School, 1890s.

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#53 A bedroom in Riverside Buildings, Brooklyn, 1890s.

A bedroom in Riverside Buildings, Brooklyn, 1890s.

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#54 Present tenants of John Ericsson’s former house, now the Beach Street Industrial School, 1890s.

Present tenants of John Ericsson's former house, now the Beach Street Industrial School, 1890s.

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#56 The Tombs, known as “Murderers’ Row,” 1890s.

The Tombs, known as "Murderers' Row," 1890s.

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#57 Sister Irene and the children at the New York Foundling Asylum, 1890s.

Sister Irene and the children at the New York Foundling Asylum, 1890s.

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#61 A backyard playground at a settlement house on Henry Street, 1890s.

A backyard playground at a settlement house on Henry Street, 1890s.

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#62 Bunks in a seven-cent lodging house on Pell Street, 1890s.

Bunks in a seven-cent lodging house on Pell Street, 1890s.

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#65 A sand pile at Riverside Buildings, Brooklyn, 1890s.

A sand pile at Riverside Buildings, Brooklyn, 1890s.

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#82 An interior court at Riverside Buildings, Brooklyn, summer, 1890s.

An interior court at Riverside Buildings, Brooklyn, summer, 1890s.

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#83 An interior court at Riverside Buildings, Brooklyn, winter, 1890s.

An interior court at Riverside Buildings, Brooklyn, winter, 1890s.

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#90 Prisoners breaking stones on Blackwell’s Island, 1890s.

Prisoners breaking stones on Blackwell's Island, 1890s.

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#91 The “Rogue’s Gallery” at Police Headquarters, 1890s.

The "Rogue's Gallery" at Police Headquarters, 1890s.

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#92 “Little Susie at Her Work,” Gotham Court, 1890s.

"Little Susie at Her Work," Gotham Court, 1890s.

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#95 Children in a New York Kindergarten Association school, 1890s.

Children in a New York Kindergarten Association school, 1890s.

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#108 “Little Susie at Her Work,” Gotham Court, 1890s.

"Little Susie at Her Work," Gotham Court, 1890s.

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#116 Poverty Gap transformed into a playground, 1890s.

Poverty Gap transformed into a playground, 1890s.

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#118 Children in a New York Kindergarten Association school, 1890s.

Children in a New York Kindergarten Association school, 1890s.

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#133 Poverty Gap transformed into a playground, 1890s.

Poverty Gap transformed into a playground, 1890s.

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#141 St. John’s Park, 1890s. #901 Jefferson Park being laid out in Little Italy, East 112th Street, 1899.

St. John's Park, 1890s. #901 Jefferson Park being laid out in Little Italy, East 112th Street, 1899.

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#143 Organized Charity: Sweeping back the ocean, 1890s.

Organized Charity: Sweeping back the ocean, 1890s.

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#147 Children sitting on the steps of Cooper Institute, 1890s.

Children sitting on the steps of Cooper Institute, 1890s.

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#148 Organized Charity: Children resting in an outside infirmary, 1890s.

Organized Charity: Children resting in an outside infirmary, 1890s.

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#149 A man and woman with a group of young children, 1890s.

A man and woman with a group of young children, 1890s.

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Written by Frederick Victor

I've been a history writer for a while. I love to explore historical sites because they connect us to our past. They make us feel like we are part of something much bigger.

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