National Newspaper Carrier Day

Ever since the invention of the newspaper, there have been newspaper carriers. Those intrepid souls who bring out the latest hot sheet carrying the most recent news have used all sorts of methods to carry out their duties and bring us the best of stories. Whether they were standing on the street corner with a satchel or loading up their trusty Shetland pony with bags full of the daily rag, National Newspaper Carrier Day holds them in the highest regard and shares their dedication with the world.

History of National Newspaper Carrier Day

National Newspaper Carrier Day was created to honor the efforts of the first newsboy hired in the United States by the Museum of the City of New York. It was in 1833 that 10-year-old Blarney Flaherty first picked up his load of papers, answering an advertisement for The Sun that specified that “steady men” could apply. Benjamin Day decided that Flaherty fit the bill, and it was soon after that his cries of “Paper! Get your paper, here!” were first heard calling out across the streets of the Big Apple. 180 years later National Newspaper Carrier Day celebrates those intrepid souls who followed in his footsteps.

It’s amazing to think about all of the people who were uplifted by this career as young boys, and the newest generation of newspaper carriers is no exception. The likes of James Cagney, Albert Einstein, even Isaac Asimov and Martin Luther King Jr had their start early in their lives carrying the local paper. It still serves as one of the first jobs young men and women will hold in many local communities, using their bikes to carry out paper routes to deliver the news to people all over their neighborhood. There’s even a Newspaper Carrier Hall of Fame that was created in 1960 acknowledging some of history’s most famous newspaper carriers, including those above and the likes of Warren buffer and John Wayne.

How to celebrate National Newspaper Carrier Day

The best way to celebrate National Newspaper Carrier Day is to thank your newspaper carrier. Whether that’s by bringing them a hot cup of joe to warm their hands and their hearts as they go about their rounds, or slipping them a tip to thank them for their service. Remember that this boys and girls, men and women, have been working through the cold heart of winter and blazing sun of summer to bring you the daily news before you’re up to get ready for work, show them you love them!