Long before the internet and morning news shows, there were the paper boys. Paper boys were young kids who hit the streets at the crack of dawn with heavy bags slung over their shoulders. In the early 1900s, these boys were a familiar part of city life, calling out headlines and delivering the day’s news, often before they even had breakfast. For just a few cents a day, they braved rain, snow, and dark streets, doing a job that demanded both hustle and heart.
From dusty roads to busy sidewalks, each image tells a quiet story of resilience and grit. Step back into a world where newspapers were king, and the morning news came from the hands of kids barely big enough to carry their load. Here are 20 vintage photos of paper boys in the 1900s.
1. You can tell he’s had a long day, New Jersey, 1912
2. A 6-year-old paperboy, 1915
3. A young newspaper boy from New York, 1910
4. 1920s newspaper boy in San Francisco, California
5. Young boys getting ready for their morning routes, Pitt County, North Carolina, 1950s
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6. A Melbourne newsboy, 1900
7. A paperboy with the news of the Titanic’s disaster, 1912
8. This paperboy is Michael McNelis, and he worked every week despite having pneumonia twice, 1910
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9. This paper boy is selling papers amidst the traffic in Los Angeles, 1949
10. Newsboys at Greely Square, New York, 1903
11. Two young newsboys from Newark, NJ, 1912
12. One of America’s youngest newsboys ever, at 4 years old, 1913
13. Spending his newsboy earnings on some street food, 1910
14. A newsboy with the Philadelphia Bulletin selling papers on the street, 1940s
15. A newsgirl and newsboy in New York, 1896
16. Newsboys waiting for their copies in the morning, 1913
17. Delivering the news of the Titanic, 1912
18. The Cleveland Call and Post newsboys of 1934
19. Selling copies of the Chicago Defender, 1942
20. John Howell, an Indianapolis newsboy, 1908
Want to see more vintage content from the 1900s?
Check out 20 Vintage Photos of Safari Trips in the late 1900s, or take a look at 19 Colorized Photos Of Aviators (1900s). Finally, if you want to see the age of Antarctic exploration, check out 20 Incredible Shots From the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration (1900-1980).
