Riis Park is located in Queens, New York. It is a popular beachfront park that occupies a large area of the Rockaway Peninsula, which is part of Queens. Riis Park is known for its beautiful beaches, boardwalk, and various recreational activities, including swimming, surfing, and volleyball.
Riis Park is named after Jacob Riis, a Danish-American social reformer, journalist, and photographer. He is best known for his work as a muckraker, exposing the living conditions of the urban poor in New York City during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Riis used his photography and journalism to raise awareness about the poverty and overcrowding in New York’s tenements, and he became a prominent advocate for social reform. After his death in 1914, Riis’ legacy continued, and his name was given to several public parks and buildings, including Riis Park in Queens, New York.
Jacob Riis was born on May 3, 1849, in Ribe, Denmark. His family experienced financial struggles, and at the age of 21, Riis immigrated to the United States in 1870. He initially worked odd jobs, including a farm laborer and a carpenter, before becoming a police reporter for the New York Tribune in 1877.
As a police reporter, Riis became acutely aware of the poverty and overcrowding in New York’s tenements. He began to document the living conditions of the poor through photography and journalism, publishing articles and books that exposed the squalor of tenement life. In 1890, he published his seminal work, “How the Other Half Lives,” which used photography and first-hand accounts to expose the terrible living conditions endured by New York’s poor.
Riis became a leading social reformer, advocating for better living conditions, education, and job opportunities for the urban poor. He was a key figure in the Progressive Era, working closely with other activists and politicians to enact social reforms at the local and national level.
In addition to his work as a journalist and social reformer, Riis was also a prolific writer and photographer. He authored several books, including “The Children of the Poor” and “The Battle with the Slum,” and he continued to document the lives of the urban poor through his photography.
Jacob Riis died on May 26, 1914, in Barre, Massachusetts. His work had a lasting impact on American society, helping to spur social reforms that improved the lives of millions of people.