Between 1915 and 1925, the International Brotherhood Welfare Association in Chicago, US published the “Hobo” News, the world’s earliest known street newspaper. Like many subsequent papers, it provided subsistence by allowing vendors to keep a portion of the proceeds. Dr Owen Clayton investigates.

Hobo News: the first street paper?

Hans Baars is 65 and has been homeless for almost a year. Today, he is a “homeless street newspaper vendor with a passion,” travelling around various weekly markets. Always with him are his belongings in a bicycle trailer – and a whole lot of optimism.


Draussenseiter vendor Hans Baars: “I have to think positively, even though the world isn’t positive at all”

Tagged with 'street-paper-stories'

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