October 29, 1929, a.k.a. Black Tuesday, brought the roaring twenties to an end, ushered in the depression and changed the American economy forever
Hysteria on the Street
On the day of the collapse, the exchange lost $14 billion in value, ten times the annual budget of the federal government at that time.Bettmann / Corbis
Black Thursday
Selling was triggered in part by a huge sell-off the preceding Thursday. Despite the efforts of brokers the following day (when this photo was taken) shares continued to decline, a trend dramatized by the newspapers in their weekend editions.Bettmann / Corbis
Trading Floor
As the slide continued, trading increased. Over 16 million shares were traded, a record not broken until 1969. During the panic, clerks worked for 48 straight hours.Bettmann / Corbis
Anxious Investors
Brokerage house customers flock to the financial district as news of the crash spread.Bettmann / Corbis
All Nighter
Exhausted clerks from the exchange catch some sleep in a nearby gym.Bettmann / Corbis
Headlines
Despite the optimistic headline, the news from Wall Street would not get any better.AP
Desperate for Cash
A speculator tries to sell his car after losing all his money in the market.Bettmann / Corbis
Run on the Bank
Panicked by the collapse of the market, customers of a bank in New Jersey race to Passaic to claim their deposits.Bettmann / Corbis
Depression
The crash led to untold bankrupties and business closures, causing many Americans to lose their jobs.Bettmann / Corbis
