Created by Kelly Matsuoka on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 08:52
Description:
This photo by an unknown artist illustrates the crowded, inhumane conditions of the asylum. The women are tightly packed together and they seem to be uncomfortable. A few of the women are looking upwards as if thhat is their way to escape, while others like the woman in the bottom left corner, hold their hands to their ears and wait for the commotion to end. This photo accurately depicts the conditions of this asylum before Nellie Bly, an American journalist, exposed them for the wretched environment that hundreds to thousands of people had to go through at a time. Eventually, they were given more money from the government to improve the asylum until it eventually became a regular hospital in the 1950's.
Photo Source:
Blackwell's Island Asylum. www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Blackwell's_Island_Asylum.