New York City Crowds In The Early And Mid 20th Century

Photographs of crowds of people in the city that never sleeps

I warmed my way into the heart of the crowd
I warmed my way into the heart of the crowd
I was shocked to find what was allowed
I didn’t lose myself in the crowd
– Shot By Both Sides, No Fun at All

 

Weegee (1899-1968), [Afternoon crowd at Coney Island, Brooklyn], July 21, 1940

Weegee : Afternoon crowd at Coney Island, Brooklyn], July 21, 1940

The streets of New York City are quiet. The coronavirus crisis has throttled the usual hustle and bustle. There are no crowds. Wisdom is found in avoiding them. Isolation is the watchword. They’ll be back. He we look at photographs of crowds in NYC in the earl and mid 20th Century.

 

Title: Easter crowd - 5th Ave., 1913 Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: 1913 [March 23] Medium: 1 negative : glass ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller. Summary: Photo shows Fifth Avenue, New York City on Easter day, March 23, 1913.

Title: Easter crowd – 5th Ave., 1913
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: 1913 [March 23]
Medium: 1 negative : glass ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller.
Summary: Photo shows Fifth Avenue, New York City on Easter day, March 23, 1913.

Title: [Police officer in front of crowd of children and adults at Federal Theatre Project performance in Central Park, New York] / photo by Dick Rose, Federal Theatre Project, New York City. Creator(s): Rose, Dick, photographer Date Created/Published: [between 1935 and 1939]

Title: [Police officer in front of crowd of children and adults at Federal Theatre Project performance in Central Park, New York] / photo by Dick Rose, Federal Theatre Project, New York City.
Creator(s): Rose, Dick, photographer
Date Created/Published: [between 1935 and 1939]

Title: Crowd at suffragette meeting City Hall [New York] Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher

Title: Crowd at suffragette meeting City Hall [New York]
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher

Title: Berkman Addressing Anarchists, Union Sq., 7/11/14 Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher

Title: Berkman Addressing Anarchists, Union Sq., 7/11/14
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher

NYC crowds

Weegee : Lower East Side, 1942

Title: Rev. Dame speaking to crowd on Wall St., New York Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: [no date recorded on caption card]

Title: Rev. Dame speaking to crowd on Wall St., New York
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: [no date recorded on caption card]

Title: Socialists in Union Square, N.Y.C. Date Created/Published: 5/1/12 [1 May 1912] Medium: 1 photograph : gelatin silver print ; sheet 12 x 15 cm. Summary: Photograph shows a large crowd with signs at the May Day rally of the Socialist Party.

Title: Socialists in Union Square, N.Y.C.
Date Created/Published: 5/1/12 [1 May 1912]
Medium: 1 photograph : gelatin silver print ; sheet 12 x 15 cm.
Summary: Photograph shows a large crowd with signs at the May Day rally of the Socialist Party.

NYC crowds 1940s

Weegee (Arthur Fellig), “Retail butchers lined up at Ft. Greene Market, Brooklyn, in the early dawn, hoping for a little meat to sell from their shops,” March 19, 1943

Title: Harlem, the Negro section of New York City, went wild with joy immediately after receiving word that Joe Louis had stepped one rung higher on his climb for the heavyweight title ... winning on technical knockout over Primo Carnera, former champion, at Yankee Stadium, N.Y. Date Created/Published: 1935 June 25.

Title: Harlem, the ‘Negro section’ of New York City, went wild with joy immediately after receiving word that Joe Louis had stepped one rung higher on his climb for the heavyweight title … winning on technical knockout over Primo Carnera, former champion, at Yankee Stadium, N.Y.
Date Created/Published: 1935 June 25.

Title: Bakers and big loaf - Labor parade, New York, May 1, 1909 Date Created/Published: 1909 May 1.

Title: Bakers and big loaf – Labor parade, New York, May 1, 1909
Date Created/Published: 1909 May 1.

Title: Geo. Philibiss, French Syndicalist Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: [between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915]

Title: Geo. Philibiss, French Syndicalist
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: [between ca. 1910 and ca. 1915]

Title: New York City theater district with crowds going to theaters Creator(s): O'Halloran, Thomas J., photographer Date Created/Published: 1974 November 22.

Title: New York City theater district with crowds going to theaters
Creator(s): O’Halloran, Thomas J., photographer
Date Created/Published: 1974 November 22.

Title: Floor of New York Stock Exchange: with Union Pacific crowd Date Created/Published: c1934 Jan. 27.

Title: Floor of New York Stock Exchange: with Union Pacific crowd
Date Created/Published: c1934 Jan. 27.

Title: East side crowd discussing price of meat in front of shops, New York Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: 1910

Title: East side crowd discussing price of meat in front of shops, New York
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: 1910

Title: Crowd on Arbor Day, N.Y. Public Schools, New York Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: 5/8/08

Title: Crowd on Arbor Day, N.Y. Public Schools, New York
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: 5/8/08

Title: Crowd before failed bank of Pati & Son, Elizabeth St., New York Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: 3/25/08

Title: Crowd before failed bank of Pati & Son, Elizabeth St., New York
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: 3/25/08

Title: The war-bread wagon Creator(s): Underwood & Underwood, copyright claimant Date Created/Published: [Place not identified] : [Publisher not identified], [1917 October] Medium: 1 photograph : gelatin silver print ; sheet 20.2 x 25.4 cm. Summary: Photograph shows women cooks of the New York City Food Aid Committee demonstrating how to bake breads and other baked goods using wheat substitutes, such as corn and rye, as part of a conservation drive to save food for the war effort during World War I; they travel around New York City in a truck labeled "The War-Bread Wagon" and with signs that state "New York City Food Aid Committee 280 Madison Avenue N.Y.", "Watch for this truck in your district", "Have you tried War bread? It is palatable and saves Wheat", "Have you asked your baker for War Bread?", and "Won't you help us to help others to solve the Food Problem". The truck, parked on Fifth Avenue, has attracted a small crowd.

Title: The war-bread wagon
Creator(s): Underwood & Underwood, copyright claimant
Date Created/Published: [Place not identified] : [Publisher not identified], [1917 October]
Medium: 1 photograph : gelatin silver print ; sheet 20.2 x 25.4 cm.
Summary: Photograph shows women cooks of the New York City Food Aid Committee demonstrating how to bake breads and other baked goods using wheat substitutes, such as corn and rye, as part of a conservation drive to save food for the war effort during World War I; they travel around New York City in a truck labeled “The War-Bread Wagon” and with signs that state “New York City Food Aid Committee 280 Madison Avenue N.Y.”, “Watch for this truck in your district”, “Have you tried War bread? It is palatable and saves Wheat”, “Have you asked your baker for War Bread?”, and “Won’t you help us to help others to solve the Food Problem”. The truck, parked on Fifth Avenue, has attracted a small crowd.

Title: Crowd watching "playograph," World Series, 1911 Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: 1911

Title: Crowd watching “playograph,” World Series, 1911
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: 1911

Title: Crowds around post office. Lower East Side, New York Creator(s): Lange, Dorothea, photographer Date Created/Published: 1936 June.

Title: Crowds around post office. Lower East Side, New York
Creator(s): Lange, Dorothea, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1936 June.

Title: Crowd waiting for Gibson Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: [1912]

Title: Crowd waiting for Gibson
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: [1912]

Title: Part of crowd in Harlem chants and taunts police on Lenox Ave. last night / World Telegram & Sun photo by Stanley Wolfson. Creator(s): Wolfson, Stanley, photographer Date Created/Published: 1964.

Title: Part of crowd in Harlem chants and taunts police on Lenox Ave. last night / World Telegram & Sun photo by Stanley Wolfson.
Creator(s): Wolfson, Stanley, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1964.

Title: Crowd watching sign painter, Union Square, New York Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: [no date recorded on caption card]

Title: Crowd watching sign painter, Union Square, New York
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: [no date recorded on caption card]

Title: Labor Day (May Day) parade, crowd in rain in street, New York Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher Date Created/Published: 5/1/09

Title: Labor Day (May Day) parade, crowd in rain in street, New York
Creator(s): Bain News Service, publisher
Date Created/Published: 5/1/09

Title: New York, New York. A crowd on D-day in Madison Square Related Names: Hollem, Howard R. , photographer MacLaugharie , photographer Meyer, Edward , photographer Date Created/Published: 1944 June 6.

Title: New York, New York. A crowd on D-day in Madison Square
Related Names:
Hollem, Howard R. , photographer
MacLaugharie , photographer
Meyer, Edward , photographer
Date Created/Published: 1944 June 6.

Title: New York, New York. A crowd watching the news line on the Times building at Times Square Related Names: Hollem, Howard R. , photographer MacLaugharie , photographer Meyer, Edward , photographer Date Created/Published: 1944 June 6.

Title: New York, New York. A crowd watching the news line on the Times building at Times Square
Related Names:
Hollem, Howard R. , photographer
MacLaugharie , photographer
Meyer, Edward , photographer
Date Created/Published: 1944 June 6.

Title: Brooklyn, New York. Crowds watching the Anniversary Day parade of the Sunday school of the Church of the Good Shepherd Creator(s): Hollem, Howard R., photographer Date Created/Published: 1944 June.

Title: Brooklyn, New York. Crowds watching the Anniversary Day parade of the Sunday school of the Church of the Good Shepherd
Creator(s): Hollem, Howard R., photographer
Date Created/Published: 1944 June.

Title: Crowd listens outside radio shop at Greenwich and Dey Sts. for news on President Kennedy / World Telegram & Sun photo by O. Fernandez. Creator(s): Fernandez, Orlando, photographer Date Created/Published: 1963 November 22.

Title: Crowd listens outside radio shop at Greenwich and Dey Sts. for news on President Kennedy / World Telegram & Sun photo by O. Fernandez.
Creator(s): Fernandez, Orlando, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1963 November 22.

Title: Penn. R.R. Station when Sunday arrived Date Created/Published: [1917] Medium: 1 photographic print : gelatin silver. Summary: Crowd gathered around exit at Pennsylvania Station in New York City awaiting the arrival of Billy Sunday.

Title: Penn. R.R. Station when Sunday arrived
Date Created/Published: [1917]
Medium: 1 photographic print : gelatin silver.
Summary: Crowd gathered around exit at Pennsylvania Station in New York City awaiting the arrival of Billy Sunday.

Title: [Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) demonstration, New York City] Date Created/Published: [1914 April 11]

Title: [Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) demonstration, New York City]
Date Created/Published: [1914 April 11]

itle: New York, N.Y.--Suffragettes on 23rd Street Date Created/Published: 1908 Feb. 16.

itle: New York, N.Y.–Suffragettes on 23rd Street
Date Created/Published: 1908 Feb. 16.

Title: Curb brokers in Wall Street, New York City Date Created/Published: 1920 Oct. 2.

Title: Curb brokers in Wall Street, New York City
Date Created/Published: 1920 Oct. 2.

Title: Photograph of group on bridge taken 6 minutes after explosion Date Created/Published: 1920 September 16. Medium: 1 photographic print. Summary: A sea of hats as hundreds flee after terroists bomb Wall Street.

Title: Photograph of group on bridge taken 6 minutes after explosion
Date Created/Published: 1920 September 16.
Medium: 1 photographic print.
Summary: A sea of hats as hundreds flee after terroists bomb Wall Street.

Title: [Actors' strike, New York, New York] Date Created/Published: [1919] Medium: 1 photographic print. Summary: Crowd of striking actors on 45th Street, New York City.

Title: [Actors’ strike, New York, New York]
Date Created/Published: [1919]
Medium: 1 photographic print.
Summary: Crowd of striking actors on 45th Street, New York City.

Title: [Crowd of men outside municipal lodging house, waiting for the doors to open, New York City] Date Created/Published: [1914 Jan. 18]

Title: [Crowd of men outside municipal lodging house, waiting for the doors to open, New York City]
Date Created/Published: [1914 Jan. 18]

Title: [Parade for Gertrude Ederle coming up Broadway, New York City, with large crowd watching] / photo by staff photographer. Date Created/Published: 1926.

Title: [Parade for Gertrude Ederle coming up Broadway, New York City, with large crowd watching] / photo by staff photographer.
Date Created/Published: 1926.

Title: Albany St., Pat's Parade route (Fifth Ave.) / World Telegram photo by Roger Higgins. Creator(s): Higgins, Roger, photographer Date Created/Published: 1951.

Title: Albany St., Pat’s Parade route (Fifth Ave.) / World Telegram photo by Roger Higgins.
Creator(s): Higgins, Roger, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1951.

Title: In the days of "Old Dobbin" and Derby hats Mrs. Harriot Stanton Blatch exhorted the Wall Street crowds Related Names: League of Women Voters (U.S.) Records. Date Created/Published: [between 1915 and 1920(?)]

Title: In the days of “Old Dobbin” and Derby hats Mrs. Harriot Stanton Blatch exhorted the Wall Street crowds
Related Names:
League of Women Voters (U.S.) Records.
Date Created/Published: [between 1915 and 1920(?)]

Title: [Huge crowd of baseball fans watching baseball scoreboard during World Series game in New York City] Date Created/Published: [1911 Oct. 27]

Title: [Huge crowd of baseball fans watching baseball scoreboard during World Series game in New York City]
Date Created/Published: [1911 Oct. 27]

Title: [Crowd of people, many waving, in Times Square on V-J Day at time of announcement of the Japanese surrender in 1945] / World-Telegram photo by Dick DeMarsico. Creator(s): DeMarsico, Dick, photographer Date Created/Published: 1945 August 14.

Title: [Crowd of people, many waving, in Times Square on V-J Day at time of announcement of the Japanese surrender in 1945] / World-Telegram photo by Dick DeMarsico.
Creator(s): DeMarsico, Dick, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1945 August 14.

Title: Watching the election returns--great crowds before the Times B'ld'g. and Astor Hotel, New York Creator(s): H.C. White Co., Date Created/Published: Chicago ; New York ; London ; North Bennington, Vt. : H.C. White Co., Publishers, 1907.

Title: Watching the election returns–great crowds before the Times B’ld’g. and Astor Hotel, New York
Creator(s): H.C. White Co.,
Date Created/Published: Chicago ; New York ; London ; North Bennington, Vt. : H.C. White Co., Publishers, 1907.

Title: A view of the great crowd at the scene of the explosion in front of J.P. Mor[gan & Co.] office at Broad and Wall Sts. Date Created/Published: 1920 September 16.

Title: A view of the great crowd at the scene of the explosion in front of J.P. Mor[gan & Co.] office at Broad and Wall Sts.
Date Created/Published: 1920 September 16.

Title: They all want to stay well / World Telegram & Sun photo by Al Ravenna. Creator(s): Ravenna, Al, photographer Date Created/Published: 1947. Medium: 1 photographic print. Summary: Photograph shows crowd of people waiting to be vaccinated at the Department of Health building, New York City.

Title: They all want to stay well / World Telegram & Sun photo by Al Ravenna.
Creator(s): Ravenna, Al, photographer
Date Created/Published: 1947.
Medium: 1 photographic print.
Summary: Photograph shows crowd of people waiting to be vaccinated at the Department of Health building, New York City.

Title: Crowd at Nathan's from corner - horizontal / World Telegram & Sun photo by Al Aumuller. Creator(s): Aumuller, Al, photographer Date Created/Published: 1947 Aug. 6.

Title: Crowd at Nathan’s from corner – horizontal / World Telegram & Sun photo by Al Aumuller.
Creator(s): Aumuller, Al, photographer
ChritiesDate Created/Published: 1947 Aug. 6.

Images: Library of Congress, Christies

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