Newsies: The News Boys of the Past
Seattle Newsboys: How Hustler Democracy Lost to the Power of Property. An article written by Roger Simpson and published in Journalism History, vol. 18, 1992, pp 18-26.
The Reported Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York.
"Adults Eclipse Kids in Carrier Force: The 'little merchant' tossing newspapers from bike to doorstep is slowly fading into history -- replaced by grown-ups in cars." An aticle written by Robert Neuwirth and published in Editor & Publisher, September 12, 1998, pp. 7-8.
"Quiet Tragedy: Violence Against Carriers: Unprotected, Kids of all ages rove the streets in towns across America at all hours to deliver the news and earn a buck -- bus some pay the ultimate price." An article written by Robert Neuwirth and published in Editor & Publisher, September 12, 1998, pp. 8-10+.
Little newsboys hawking papers on downtown streets have been mostly replaced by news stands and coin-operated vending machines, but their image lingers on statues, paintings, posters, cards, and logos.
The New England Association of Circulation Executives marked
the centennial of International
Newspaper Carrier Day, October 14, 1995, with a celebrarion for the
newsboy statue in Great Barrington, Mass., the oldest known statue
dedicated to carriers.
Created by sculptor David Richards, the rendering was presented to the town on October 10, 1895 by Col. William Lee Brown, part owner and business manager for the Daily News in New York City. Brown was a prominent New York state senator. After fighting in the Civil War, he made a mule-team trip across the Western Plains, settling in Montana. There he took to mining and subsequently becase a clerk of the territorial legislature. Later he went to Ohio, founded the Youngstown Vindicator and served in the state senate. In 1877, he bought an interest in the New York Daily News and became its editor. He made it America's first tabloid, attributing his success in enlarging the circulation to the devotion of his newsboys.
Carrier statues have been erected all over the world. Published photographs of more than two dozens of these statutes appeared in the newsletter of the Newspaper Association of America, Circulation Update.
 Credit: Woman Buying Paper from Newsboy, a painting by Herman N. Hyneman, American, 1859-1907. Oil on Canvas, 1899. In the Eno Collection at the New York Public Library. |
 Credit: Extra!, painting by John George Brown, from the collection of Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth Blau. Reprinted on the Gannett Foundation Media Center's publication, "Untapped Sources: America's Newspaper Archives and Histories." |
 Credit: Newsboy, a watercolour by Ralph Hedley, 1843-1913, dated 1892. In the Laign Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne. |
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