Jacob Riis was a Danish-American journalist, social reformer, and pioneering photojournalist who exposed the harsh living conditions of the urban poor in New York City during the late 19th century. His groundbreaking book, How the Other Half Lives (1890), combined vivid written descriptions with innovative flash photography to reveal the overcrowded, unsanitary tenements where many immigrants lived in poverty
. Riis arrived in New York in 1870 as an immigrant and experienced poverty firsthand. He became a police reporter, which gave him intimate knowledge of the city's slums. Using his reporting and photography, he documented the squalor, crime, and hardship endured by the poor, aiming to raise awareness among the middle and upper classes and prompt social reform
. How the Other Half Lives shocked the public with its raw depictions of tenement life, showing overcrowded rooms, poor sanitation, and the struggles of working-class families and children. Riis argued that these conditions were the result of public neglect and private greed. The book helped galvanize housing reform efforts in New York City and is considered a foundational work in social documentary photography and investigative journalism
. Riis also advocated for practical solutions, such as "model tenements" and city-run lodging houses, to improve living conditions. His work influenced public policy and contributed to the broader Progressive Era reforms aimed at addressing urban poverty and improving public health
. In summary, Jacob Riis’s How the Other Half Lives was a pioneering exposé that used journalism and photography to reveal the dire conditions of New York’s poor immigrant communities, sparking social awareness and reform efforts in the early 20th century
