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National Day Calendar

Bill Williams

Friday, September 4th, 2026 11:54am

September 4^th is Newspaper Carrier Day! This holiday honors everyone who is now, or once was, a newspaper carrier. The list includes thousands, if not millions, of people. Years ago, this job was primarily populated by kids, from pre-teen through approximately sixteen. At that age, many, but not all, kids moved to restaurant, grocery store and retail type of jobs.

Newspaper carriers date back to the early 1800s. On September 10, 1833, 10-year-old Barney Flaherty became the first newspaper carrier. Benjamin Day, publisher of The New York Sun, hired Barney Flaherty to sell papers for his penny press. The only job requirement, was that he had to show that he could throw a newspaper into the bushes.

Now, few kids deliver papers anymore except in small towns. But, but the "Carrier Day" tradition lives. This job is now largely held by adults, many of them delivering the paper from their cars.

(Courtesy Dr. Dave’s Ultimate Prep)