The Making of an American is Jacob Riis’ autobiography. When it was first published in 1901, the book was incredibly popular. The book tells of Riis’ rise from impoverished immigrant to successful social reformer. Riis was born in Ribe, Denmark in 1849 and immigrated to theUnited States in 1870. After doing a series of odd jobs, Riis finally got a break when he took a job as a police reporter for the New York Evening Sun. Camera in hand, Riis worked to document the deplorable living conditions he found in the slums. His photographs opened the eyes of many to the unsanitary and harsh conditions of the tenements. His work even prompted police commissioner and former president Theodore Roosevelt to improve the city’s tenements. The Making of an American documents Riis’ journey through the slums of New York City and the steps he took to reform America’s most iconic city.
