Historically Accurate Newsies Headcanons

Dedication is gay history nerds doing math so their gay history fandom can write better. Mod Syd and Mod Miles

[hanewsieshcs]

Heyo! I know you're not really active anymore, but I had a question about the Newsies dress? As in, their fashion and what clothes they would have had. Would they just have worn whatever they could get, or was there some sort of an expectation? Thanks!

Hi! So sorry for the lateness of this reply. I’m more than happy to elaborate on this later if you’d like!

For the boys living with families (which a majority did) they would be wearing whatever their families could get. Hand me downs, most likely very few would be getting actually new items.

For the boys in the lodging houses run by the Children’s Aid Society, they will be wearing donated clothes from drives the CAS conducted. In fact, the boys living there may actually have had nicer clothes in terms of things like socks which were made or purchased for them and handed out at Thanksgiving.

From my understanding, there’s going to be a relatively standard set of clothes worn

Shoes/boots

Socks

Long underwear

Shirt

Pants

Jacket

Hat

In the winter, more layers will be added and the lodging house boys may be wearing more layers year around because if they don’t wear them, they won’t have anywhere to store them and may get their clothes stolen.

Hope this helps!

Mod syd

[newtgeiszler]

december 1st! the first day of

not drawing jewish characters in christmas sweaters and honoring canon jewish characters and jewish headcanons by drawing them in hannukah sweaters with menorahs and blue and white instead of christmas sweaters and pine trees and red and green

[koshercosplay]

that would be a great step, but that’s also still very much inspired by christmas, because the whole “chanukah sweater” thing is just catering to christmas norms.

want some ideas for how to draw or write jewish characters doing something warm, fuzzy, cute, and holiday themed, without anything christmas-y?

- character(s) playing dreidel: laughing, pointing fingers, menorah in the background, donuts on the table, music playing, coins clinking on the table, everyone staring in concentration as the dreidel spins, someone is attempting sabotage, pausing for latkes, shaking the table to get it to fall on someone else’s turn

- eating chocolate coins (called gelt): they’re melting too fast and getting all over their hands or mouths, milk chocolate vs dark chocolate, trading coins of different types and sizes, if it’s ship art then one can be teasing the other about it, kissing the chocolate at the edge of the other’s mouth

- making/eating latkes: standing over a hot stove together, sizzling oil, hugs from behind while one character makes them, fighting over the spatula for who gets to flip them, flipping one too high, biting into a latke together, peeling potatoes, juggling potatoes

- lighting the menorah: holding the shamash together while lighting it, hugs from behind while looking at the menorah, saying the brachah aloud, singing maoz tzur, playing instruments, just sitting next to the candles and watching them burn, silhouettes in front of the menorah, holding hands

- opening presents: standing next to the menorah or sitting on the floor in front of it, laughing, ripping paper, excitement, things flying in the air, can be emotional meaningful gifts or funny humorous ones

there are so many great concepts for drawing (and writing!) jewish characters over the holidays, and most of them haven’t even been done before so no excuses!

[hanewsieshcs]

Hannukah in 1899 By your Resident History Jews

things that would be different: -presents - These are a pull in from Christianity. The boys with parents or culturally aware adults are more likely get some small amount of pocket money to gamble with  -the food - Jelly Donuts--sufganiya is a Hebrew term, and they'd be more likely to know them by European names -the Yiddish term is ponchik, German is Berliner, Polish is Paczki Russian is Ponchiki              Latkes would likely be the same, but both they and pontshke (plural for ponchik) would be more likely to be fried in chicken fat (schmaltz) or goose fat, not oil. This also means that the pontshke wouldn't have custard* and the latkes wouldn't have sour cream                 *it would also  break the laws of kashrut to eat it with something cooked in schmaltz  aka it wouldn’t be kosher cause mi l k and dairy together are no go’s (Modern sufganiyot is normally fried in vegetable oil  to avoid this issue) things that would be the same: -Menorahs would still be lit at sunset, either increasing or decreasing one light every night depending on tradition. They'd be more likely to be used for light though rather than purely ritual purposes  -Ma o tzur, though most other Hannukkah songs we know of/can think of are newer -Dreidl -  it is not a stretch to imagine that it was very popular among newsies, who were already known for playing dice things we’re not sure about:  -i don't know if they'd be lighting candles or if they'd be sticking wicks in schmaltz or what kind of feel like candles, but we’re not sure which it would be exactly This post will be added to as we come up with more stuff! 

[newsies-hit-da-streets-deactiva]

now that the holiday season is starting here's a reminder

the jacobs, the delanceys, wiesel, katherine, pulitzer, and i think jack are all jewish

please don't draw/write them celebrating christmas

thank you

[hanewsieshcs]

Yes, this, but please if you’re doing any fic rooted in historical canon, while Katherine/Pulitzer are Jewish, Katherine by patrilineal  line,  Pulitzer made a super big deal about renouncing any connection he had to being Jewish  So he celebrated Christmas, kept a Christian calendar, it’s all because the antisemitism he would’ve faced was worse than not celebrating his holidays if that makes sense? Religion was seen differently, and there even were  lots of records of immigrated Jews celebrating Christmas once they arrived in the states because it was just considered the American thing to do, and assimilation was better than preserving a pure culture

*

[hanewsieshcs]

The Jacobs Are Jewish

-Mod Syd

[hanewsieshcs]

Since it is the season I start to see Davey/Jacobs family celebrating Christmas in fics…I thought I’d bring this back around.

[thevioletsunflower]

I’m going to take it a step further. According to an article at the time of the strike, 40% of all New York newsies were Jewish. Therefore 40% of all winter holiday fics should be Hanukah fics.

[mooncleric]

since it’s almost the holiday season, just a PSA: stop drawing jewish people celebrating christmas!

drawing them celebrating hanukah is much more respectful and i promise that it isn’t difficult! you could draw them lighting the menorah, playing dreidel, or even opening their hanukah presents! stay safe everyone, and & happy holidays!

[mooncleric]

actually, let me elaborate!

if you’re goyische, i would reccomend drawing a menorah that looks like this! this menorah is kosher, because the shamash [central candle] is more offset than the other candles, traditionally being HIGHER or lower. (if you’re jewish - go wild! have fun with your menorahs! once i saw a dinosaur menorah!)

this is a dreidel! dreidel is a game where people usually gamble gelt (chocolate coins) with each other. the dreidel is a spinning top, and depending on if it lands on nun, gimmel, hay, or shin, you can either get or lose gelt!

[hanewsieshcs]

a quick  little  reminder from your two mods, these are some easy places to start with! 

[hanewsieshcs]

Questions

Hello!! I’m trying to procrastinate on a ton of work atm, and while I am putting together another BIG info post that should be coming out  later this week, if you want to know any questions about our boys or  labor  law (guess who is maybe declaring their specialty at the end of the semester????) or NYC or the 1800s or American history in general, please feel compelled  to do so. I miss all of you!  Hugs and love, 

Mod Syd 

[hanewsieshcs]

Most of the newsies would have never seen a movie before

A ticket to a movie would have cost anywhere from a Nickle to a dime for a viewing. Films would be running 5 to 8 minutes long; and they were called "one reelers" earlier in the period.  A short list of films released in 1899 with their run times. Keep in mind each viewing would be a Nickle. 

The Biter Bit  1 min 9 seconds Cinderella 6 mins The Kiss in the Tunnel 1 min 3 seconds The Dreyfus Affair 13 minutes (this was actually a collection of 11 films combined)

[hanewsieshcs]

Voting

Hello. So I know that we have been dead here, but with things starting back up again and the general dumpster fire of the country that we are living in, your mods have unfortunately been a little busy. But, I would like to remind (once again) for all our lovely followers who are eligible in the United States to please please make a plan to vote. Mail in ballots probably won’t make it to be counted if you mail it in by now so please consider dropping them off at a polling place if you can.  Remember, we need to vote because our favorite newsboys would be the first ones in line to. 

[panicky-pancakes-deactivated202]

the newsies would absolutely protest for blm every night no matter the tear gas or curfews but some of the fandom isn’t ready to have that conversation.

[hanewsieshcs]

This blog supports all social movements looking to better society. Black Lives Matter. 

[muirin007]

“Victorians were stuffy prudes.”

[frenchfrysplash]

PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PEOPLE

[hanewsieshcs]

All these photos except for the last one appear to be from the 1890s on. Please enjoy some sillyness in your day.

[hanewsieshcs]

hello! i started my first college course this week and we're currently studying american settlement in the west (1845-1890ish i believe) and my textbook glosses over the losses that the indians faced during this time period, both culturally and in their numbers, so i was wondering how much you know about the situation! (and in particular maybr about the first and second treaties of fort laramie?)

Congrats on your first college course! I'm sorry that your class is not living up to the level of informational instruction that you wanted. Unfortunately, the period of Native American and US government struggle that I am most familiar with starts in the 1870s but I will share with you as much information as possible.

The earlier portion of the time period you had mentioned basically the understatement of the century would be to say that it was BAD. The trail of tears had already been in effect for a period of 10 years as it was started in 1830. Land was stripped into smaller and smaller plots for whole tribes and various groups that had issues with each other were purposefully relocated next to each other. Unfortunately, there are quotes from generals of the time that have such statements like "They will finish each other off without a gun needing to be lifted on our end". It was horribly racist and to give a little perspective, the treatment of Native Americans from 1830-1860 was the inspiration of much of the execution of Hitler's plans.

The treaty of Fort Laramie was supposed to settle issues of land between Native American Tribes and the US Government. The fact that there had to be two of them within a few years will show that it did not go very well. It established land boundaries for the reservations including land for hunting and determining what land should be ceded to who. The other major thing that was declared in the treaty was a supposed peace agreement between tribes, this ultimately failed and placed blamed on one singular tribe which encouraged more hostility.

The main goal of both treaties were to "domesticate the Indian" as disgusting as that is. It was to make all the tribes settle down and take up farming, basically just to further assimilate them into white culture. Within this same time, the buffalo were all killed off by soldiers, further pressuring the various plains groups to have to agree to anything the government asked of them. In 1860, the reservation schools were started and decimated culture and was a genocide unto itself.

This is a depressing topic but very important to learn about, especially nowadays. I would really recommend looking at the US national archives website. They have fantastic collections and their documentation has all of the treaties. For easier navigation, I'd actually suggest you go to the DocsTeach site through the archives, it has a much easier interface and all your information is found with less hassle! Good luck with the rest of your class. -Mod Syd

[hanewsieshcs]

Girls made up roughly 3-5% of the newsboy population in NYC

A paraphrased quote from Dave Simmons, leader of the strike, from his rally speech. “ 10% girls, beggars, physically disabled, old women, black people, and such “

Paraphrased due to ableist and racist language, full Quote here  Additional information as to why there were not more girl newsies: https://newsboys-of-1899.tumblr.com/post/173803174612/why-were-there-more-newsboys-than-newsgirls 

[hanewsieshcs]

My sincerest apologies, but I apparently can’t do fractions. The quote is “one-fifth” and that is twenty percent, not ten percent. That still would not affect the roughly 3-5% number that I stated again.  -mod Syd

[hanewsieshcs]

Respect for The History.

This is not a headcanon, and may be considered a controversial idea, but rather than looking at a piece of fictionalized media as a factual reference source, we as a fandom need to separate the source material (aka the strike) from the fictionalized media (the movie and stage production). If you would like to include more women in your fanfiction or productions, you do you, go right ahead, but don’t claim historic accuracy. If you are looking to romanticize the poverty and hardship the boys went through by reducing them all down to children, this blog is not going to give you the basis for that. 

When wanting women and girls to be included among the historic newsboy strike or among fandom spaces, we need to acknowledge that our labor laws we have today in the US were created based on the abuse and the deaths of millions of lower class, primarily immigrant women who worked in factories and sweatshops. Women were the ones to effect change in strikes, to hold the picket lines, to bring attention to the injustices that were faced. 

Just one example, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory tragedy, of the 146 deaths, 123 of those were women. They were literally locked inside a burning building, and forced to jump out of a 12-14 story building or be suffocated or burned to death. This history is horrifying. It makes my stomach hurt just to think about it, because at the end of the day, realistically, many of us on this website would have historically been there, working 14-18 hour days for pennies.  As for divorcing the source material from the show or movie, the newsboys lost their strike. No matter what the musical may say.  They only got one of their demands, and at the end of the day, it took adults to make the changes. This is a much more depressive view of the events than the musical portrays. When studying history, it is important to keep in mind that even if you do not like how something turned out, you can not deny it. You can not change something just because it does not fit how you would like it.  The newsboys should not be romanticized. Hundreds, close to a thousand, of CHILDREN, CHILDREN died each year as newsboys. And that is not counting those that fell sick or were injured in other jobs. Boys living in the lodging houses who passed were placed into blank pine boxes, without their names attached, without anyone there to mourn them and their small pine boxes were stacked in wagons just high enough to not tip on their way to mass burials.  Here is the source for those of you who want to read, unfortunately, it’s behind a paywall that I get access to through my work. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3790564?seq=1

This stuff is depressing as F&%#. And I’m sorry for this long post but it needed to be said. Though Newsies is a musical, it is not a Disney-perfect story. 

[hanewsieshcs]

Girls made up roughly 3-5% of the newsboy population in NYC

A paraphrased quote from Dave Simmons, leader of the strike, from his rally speech. “ 10% girls, beggars, physically disabled, old women, black people, and such “

Paraphrased due to ableist and racist language, full Quote here  Additional information as to why there were not more girl newsies: https://newsboys-of-1899.tumblr.com/post/173803174612/why-were-there-more-newsboys-than-newsgirls 

[hanewsieshcs]

i know that girls weren’t allowed in the newsboy’s lodging house, but were there separate lodging bourses for just girls, or co-ed ones? and what about lodging houses for workers (incl. newsies) over 18, since they also weren’t allowed to spend the night in the duane st. house

There were 2 (or possibly 3? I forget off the top of my head) To my knowledge, there were no coed ones. Lodging houses for workers over the age of 18 were just called boarding houses. A nightly or weekly rate would be paid, or residence in a family home where a bed could be rented in a back or side room, once again shared, were common! I hope this helps.  Mod Syd

[hanewsieshcs]

Jacobs Family Economic Position

*1900 $1 = 2019 $29.97

Mr. Jacobs Job: $12.00 Weekly Mrs. Jacobs Laundry: $3.50 Weekly Sarah's Lace Making: $0.50 Weekly Davey Attending School Les Attending School

Yearly family budget: ~$800 a year

Rent would be about $10-$13 a month => $120-$156 a year Yearly cost for food about $320 Davey Schooling if private school $75 a semester (most likely helped with philanthropic efforts) $150 a year [I found lists of private secondary schools and averaged the lower price ones together]

Between Food, Housing, and Davey's schooling alone, the Jacobs after a year would have to spend a minimum of $600 on necessities I have not included other necessities like fuel such as coal, or oil for lighting. That would leave $16 a month for anything that was not a bare necessity, any new clothes, possible healthcare needs, donations for their shul or other charitable organizations, extra sugar for a baked treat, money enough to take a trolley rather than walking, etc.

The Bureau of Labor listed a yearly budget of $718 in 1908 for a family of five that were mill workers as having a "fair" Living condition. NYC even back in the late 1800s had higher prices for almost everything, so I would equate the Jacobs' living situation to be fair.

It is also understandable why the Jacobs were so panicked when Mr. Jacobs was unable to work. His rather large economic contribution to the family kept them in a comfortable position. I hope this provided some good and useful information! And as always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! 

Hugs and Love,  Mod Syd