Read All About It! Mid 19th Century Newspaper Boy

“Extra, Extra!!” Newspaper publishers relied on newspaper boys, or “newsies” to distribute their newspapers on city streets. These boys purchased the papers beforehand and needed to sell them all to make a profit. In towns and smaller cities these boys’ wages were often used to supplement the household coffers in lower income families. However, in large cities newspaper boys were often homeless children who sold newspapers just to earn enough to feed themselves. They could often be found sleeping huddled together under or near the stairs of the newspaper office. While this young lad is selling papers, by the look of and care taken in his clothing, he has a family and home he returns to every night.