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On this Day in 1889, a dinner at Faneuil Hall

On this day, in 1889, the Newsboys Reading Room Association reserved Faneuil Hall for a “dinner for the Newsboys and Bootblacks” of Boston.

The Newsboys Reading Room Association was an active social welfare organization. It served working boys of all stripes.

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The above photo shows young working Bostonians in the Association’s reading room, in 1909. 

We’re not sure how many newsboys and bootblacks attended the 1889 dinner. We suspect it was a large and boisterous gathering!

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Citations:

“In the Newsboys Reading Room. Boys seated at tables playing games. Boston,” 1909 October, Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print, Digital ID: (b&w digital file from original glass negative) nclc 05433 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/nclc.05433, Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-nclc-03350 (color digital file from b&w original print) LC-DIG-nclc-05433 (b&w digital file from original glass negative)

City Council dockets, 1889-0280-I Proceedings of the City Council, Collection 0100.001, Boston City Archives

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