“Extra! Extra!”: Boston Regulates Child Labor in the Streets, 1880–1895

In the past decade, scholars have taken an interest in the history of child labor in the United States, as well as the role of the government in regulating the hours and working conditions of child labor. While most government officials attempted to restrict or abolish child labor, Boston’s board of aldermen opted for a third route by creating a legitimate space for children’s and teen’s wage work between in the 1880s and 1890s. This article examines how the aldermen used their power to ensure that working children received a proper education, were protected from exploitation, and obeyed city laws.