Prolonged Effects
“The moral and the political dangers which stand connected with this subject are beginning to be appreciated by reflecting minds”
~ Our City's Condition, New York Times, 1865
The Rise Of Journalism
One of the most notable impacts Riis’ work had on public opinion was the growth of the Progressive Movement in the early 20th century. In particular, Riis brought about a new form of fighting for reform–muckraking journalism. With the help of these journalists, public efforts were made to relieve society of the issues exposed. One of the most prominent photojournalists of the mid twentieth century was Lewis Hine, who used his photography to expose the wretched conditions of children working in factories and coal mines–places.
Photograph of Lewis Hine c. 1930.
Hine was well-known for his book: Kids at Work which included numerous photographs of children working in the dangers of factories and coal mines.
Steffens was another famous muckraking journalist who published The Shame of the Cities, which discussed corrupt political machines.
Photograph of Lincoln Steffens taken by George G. Rockwood, 1894.
The Issue In Modern Era
Although the cities have not been fully cleared of their slums, the work done through public and government support following the publication of Riis’ book greatly alleviated the issue going into the later half of the twentieth century.
“We may wish that those words [referring to Riis] applied only to the America of 1902--but clearly they apply to the America of the 1960's as well”
~ President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1967
With a new era comes more efficient ways of addressing the issues related to housing. Though not as extreme as those over a hundred years prior, these housing violations are still being tackled by organizations such as the Department of Housing, Preservation, and Development. These organizations have shown that since the publication, work has continuously been done to ensure a quality standard of living for all.
“Between July 2022 and June 2023, the agency issued 722,597 violations,”
~ Patrick Spauster, Journalist for CityLimits, 2024