New York City History: Labor, Crime, & Poverty

"The charitable organization was founded in New York City in 1853 to aid, educate, and provide lodging for poor children in the city, and/or to place them in foster homes or with employers outside of the city."

"Explore the map to see many of the places, organizations, and causes that CSS has been involved with."

The Institute of Children, Poverty, and Homelessness presents timelines, maps, stories, and articles exploring the historical experience of family poverty and homelessness, and society's response to it.

During the 1930s, students from the Bronx's DeWitt Clinton High School documented their life and times. This feature includes 193 poems, articles, and short stories and 295 graphics.

"Danish-born Jacob Riis (1849-1914) was a social reformer and photojournalist. He is best known for his 1890 book How the Other Half Lives, which brought public attention to New York's squalid housing, sweatshops, bars, and alleys. The City Museum holds the complete collection of images that Riis used in his writing and lecturing career."

"The New York Foundling Hospital collection documents the programs and administration of the New York Foundling Hospital, 1869-2009, and the St. Agatha Home for Children, which operated separately from the Foundling beginning in 1884, before merging into the Foundling in 1977. The Foundling opened in 1869, under the auspices of the Sisters of Charity, as a Catholic haven for abandoned babies."

Poverty in New York City, 1969-99: The Influence of Demographic Change, Income Growth, and Income Inequality. By Mark K. Levitan and Susan S. Wieler, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

History of Welfare & HRA by Human Resources Administration Library Director, Hildy Dworkin

Primary materials documenting the investigation, arrest, judgment and incarceration of many famous and unknown criminals in New York City.

Look in the right hand toolbar for more links to resources.

"CHPC’s mission, since 1937, is to develop and advance practical public policies by better understanding New York City’s most pressing housing and neighborhood needs across the five boroughs."

"The Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness (ICPH) is an independent nonprofit public policy analysis and research organization based in New York City."

Great source for information about homelessness and volunteer opportunities.

Public Housing, Section 8, Rent Stabilization.

Stats and Reports from the DHS

"Since 1879, The Bowery Mission has served homeless, hungry and poor New Yorkers." Page includes first hand accounts and research.

History of NYC schools prepared by The New York Public Library.

History of the University of the State of New York
and the State Education Department 1784 - 1996 by James D. Folts, 1 9 9 6

"A nonprofit project designed to inform the public more about the history of American social welfare." This website contains numerous reports about the history of social welfare services in New York City.

A wealth of history in New York City's greenspaces.

Columbia University. "Ccorrespondence with nearly 1,000 individuals from 1864 through 1982." Documenting "Lehman's long career in public service."

LaGuardia Community College Library. Archives of political figures including: Edward I. Koch, Robert F. Wagner, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, and Abraham D. Beame.

"The 250-page Market Analysis provides hundreds of photos & color-coded maps, statistics, and short narratives about neighborhoods across the city."

"Collections document the history of the organized left and labor movements, and the history of work and working people in all its varied dimensions with an emphasis on class, race, gender, ethnicity, immigration and migration history. "

"The Living City is a digital library initiative intended to capture the experience of life, health, and urban transformation during the decades between the end of the Civil War and the end of World War I."

Publication from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

"The Coalition for the Homeless is the nation’s oldest advocacy and direct service organization helping homeless men, women and children."

"New York City’s homeless population continued to rise last year, with the number of homeless people sleeping each night in municipal shelters exceeding 60,000 people, including 25,000 children, for the first time ever."