Rediscovering Jacob Riis

Book excerpt: More than 90 years after his death Jacob Riis is still considered a pioneering photographer. He was the first to document the New York slums, publicising in haunting photographs the plight of the urban poor at the height of European immigration to the city. But Riis always maintained that he 'was no good at all as a photographer' and in recent years has been disparaged for racist views and political opportunitism. Here, the complex legacy of Jacob Riis is explored and explained. Illustrated with black and white photographs throughout.