Election day

One hundred years ago today … was Election Day. In New York City, the Tammany Hall slate dominated, as Mayor John Hylan easily won reelection over Republican, “fusion candidate” Henry Curran and Socialist candidate Jacob Planken.

The final tally would have Hylan at 64.2%, Curran at 28.5%, and Planken at 7.1%.

(Read our posts about the nominations of Curran here and Planken here.)

The reliably visual Daily News would print numerous photos of voters at the polls. Of these, one stands out in particular, as it included one Helen Platner and her child, both Black. Photos of Black people were extremely rare in the News in these early years since its 1919 debut.

The picture was part of a spread devoted to women voters.

Other News photos showed such scenes as a child named Tommy Mooney campaigning for Hylan on the Lower East Side, youths lighting fires on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen in celebration of the Tammany victories, and Tammany boss Charles Murphy casting his vote.

– Jonathan Goldman, Nov. 8, 2021

TAGS: elections, voting, politics, journalism, media, photography, race, gender, Black women, corruption, Democrats, Republicans