Jacob Riis was determined to improve the living conditions of the poor-to fill their dark, ramshackle places with sunlight and soft, green grass. Places where children could play. After immigrating to New York City and working as a news reporter, Jacob was deeply affected by the poverty surrounding him, especially in the tenements:• Cramped rooms bursting with too many people • Kerosene and mold stench choking the air • Children playing in filthy streetsBut how could Jacob inspire change? Using a special flash powder, Jacob Riis photographed the dark, overcrowded buildings and their impoverished residents, shining light in their rooms for the world to see-and changing the lives of tenement children and their families for the better.
Jacob Riis was determined to improve the living conditions of the poor-to fill their dark, ramshackle places with sunlight and soft, green grass. Places where children could play. After immigrating to New York City and working as a news reporter, Jacob was deeply affected by the poverty surrounding him, especially in the tenements:• Cramped rooms bursting with too many people • Kerosene and mold stench choking the air • Children playing in filthy streetsBut how could Jacob inspire change? Using a special flash powder, Jacob Riis photographed the dark, overcrowded buildings and their impoverished residents, shining light in their rooms for the world to see-and changing the lives of tenement children and their families for the better.
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