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Jacob A. Riis, Ribe

Jacob A. Riis
- The most useful citizen of New York
Journalist, social reformer, photographer and journalist. Jacob A. Riis was born in Skolegade in 1849. Young and hopelessly in love, he left Ribe in 1870 for the United States of America and the dream of a new life of riches. As a journalist, he was the first to draw attention to the plight of the poor in New York by means of his photographs.

Working closely with Theodore Roosevelt, later President of the United States, he managed to draw public attention to the police-run poorhouses and was instrumental in getting them closed down. He remains one of the most respected Americans to this day. On his death in 1914, he was known as “the most useful citizen of New York”, a name coined by Roosevelt.
Jacob A. Riis buste

In Badstuegade by the River Ribe Å
stands a bust of Jacob A. Riis. There
is a memorial plaque to Jacob A. Riis
in Skolegade, and Ribe Byferie has a
small exhibition of his stunning photo-
graphs from the slums of New York.
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A Jacob A. Riis Committee was founded in 2002 for the purpose of bringing this famous Dane to the attention of his countrymen.
2005 saw the publication of “The Ideal American” by Tom Buk-Swienty – the first complete biography of Jacob Augustus Riis.
A bust of Jacob A. Riis was erected in Badstuegade, by the River Ribe Å, in 2006. The bust is the work of Gudrun Steen-Andersen.

     Take a guided tour through
           Jacob A. Riis’ Ribe.
RIBE – RIBE TURISTBUREAU TORVET 3 6760 Ribe Tlf. +45 75 42 15 00 CONTACT
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