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8: Paperboys vs. Press Barons
Today we dive into the cobblestone streets of 1899 New York City, where a ragtag army of working-class kids—many orphaned, homeless, and dirt poor—took on two of the most powerful men in American media: Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. These “Newsies,” armed with nothing but determination, organized a strike that shook the foundations of corporate journalism.
But this story isn’t just about child labor or street protests—it’s also about yellow journalism, the sensationalist media tactics used by Pulitzer and Hearst to manipulate public opinion, sell papers, and even sway political events. We’ll trace how their cutthroat rivalry fed misinformation, contributed to war fever, and laid the groundwork for the media ecosystem we live in today.
Through the lens of the Newsboys Strike, we explore how media power, misinformation, and youth rebellion intersected in a moment that still echoes in today’s battles over labor rights and press ethics, and uncover how the press has always been both a tool of liberation—and manipulation.
To see the Youtuber’s video I reference, click here!
Citations:
📚 Books & Biographies
Nasaw, David.
Children of the City: At Work and at Play. Anchor Press, 1985.
DiGirolamo, Vincent.
Crying the News: A History of America’s Newsboys. Oxford University Press, 2019.
Charles River Editors.
Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst: The Lives and Careers of the Publishers Who Transformed the Media Industry. Charles River Editors, 2018.
📰 Articles & Primary Sources
Zinn Education Project.
“July 18, 1899: Newsboys Strike in New York.” Zinn Education Project, https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/newsboys-strike/.
Library of Congress.
“Newsies: Topics in Chronicling America.” Library of Congress, https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-newsies.
City Hall Park 1899.
“Newspaper Articles.” City Hall Park 1899, https://cityhallpark1899.com/newspaper-articles/.
Rutgers University Center for Youth Political Participation.
“Newsboys Strike of 1899.” Center for Youth Political Participation, https://cypp.rutgers.edu/newsboys-strike-of1899/.
📰 Yellow Journalism & the Spanish-American War
U.S. Department of State – Office of the Historian.
“U.S. Diplomacy and Yellow Journalism, 1895–1898.” Office of the Historian, https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/yellow-journalism.
PBS.
“William Randolph Hearst – Crucible of Empire.” PBS Online, https://www.pbs.org/crucible/bio_hearst.html.
EBSCO Research Starters.
“Hearst-Pulitzer Circulation War.” EBSCO Research Starters, https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/hearst-pulitzer-circulation-war.
🧑💼 Biographies & Legacy
Pulitzer Prizes.
“Biography of Joseph Pulitzer.” The Pulitzer Prizes, https://www.pulitzer.org/page/biography-joseph-pulitzer.
Wikipedia Contributors.
“William Randolph Hearst.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Randolph_Hearst.
Get full access to Ripples of Rebels at delaneyxclara.substack.com/subscribe
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By Delaney ClaraToday we dive into the cobblestone streets of 1899 New York City, where a ragtag army of working-class kids—many orphaned, homeless, and dirt poor—took on two of the most powerful men in American media: Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. These “Newsies,” armed with nothing but determination, organized a strike that shook the foundations of corporate journalism.
But this story isn’t just about child labor or street protests—it’s also about yellow journalism, the sensationalist media tactics used by Pulitzer and Hearst to manipulate public opinion, sell papers, and even sway political events. We’ll trace how their cutthroat rivalry fed misinformation, contributed to war fever, and laid the groundwork for the media ecosystem we live in today.
Through the lens of the Newsboys Strike, we explore how media power, misinformation, and youth rebellion intersected in a moment that still echoes in today’s battles over labor rights and press ethics, and uncover how the press has always been both a tool of liberation—and manipulation.
To see the Youtuber’s video I reference, click here!
Citations:
📚 Books & Biographies
Nasaw, David.
Children of the City: At Work and at Play. Anchor Press, 1985.
DiGirolamo, Vincent.
Crying the News: A History of America’s Newsboys. Oxford University Press, 2019.
Charles River Editors.
Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst: The Lives and Careers of the Publishers Who Transformed the Media Industry. Charles River Editors, 2018.
📰 Articles & Primary Sources
Zinn Education Project.
“July 18, 1899: Newsboys Strike in New York.” Zinn Education Project, https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/newsboys-strike/.
Library of Congress.
“Newsies: Topics in Chronicling America.” Library of Congress, https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-newsies.
City Hall Park 1899.
“Newspaper Articles.” City Hall Park 1899, https://cityhallpark1899.com/newspaper-articles/.
Rutgers University Center for Youth Political Participation.
“Newsboys Strike of 1899.” Center for Youth Political Participation, https://cypp.rutgers.edu/newsboys-strike-of1899/.
📰 Yellow Journalism & the Spanish-American War
U.S. Department of State – Office of the Historian.
“U.S. Diplomacy and Yellow Journalism, 1895–1898.” Office of the Historian, https://history.state.gov/milestones/1866-1898/yellow-journalism.
PBS.
“William Randolph Hearst – Crucible of Empire.” PBS Online, https://www.pbs.org/crucible/bio_hearst.html.
EBSCO Research Starters.
“Hearst-Pulitzer Circulation War.” EBSCO Research Starters, https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/hearst-pulitzer-circulation-war.
🧑💼 Biographies & Legacy
Pulitzer Prizes.
“Biography of Joseph Pulitzer.” The Pulitzer Prizes, https://www.pulitzer.org/page/biography-joseph-pulitzer.
Wikipedia Contributors.
“William Randolph Hearst.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Randolph_Hearst.
Get full access to Ripples of Rebels at delaneyxclara.substack.com/subscribe