What name is commonly given to the sharp Wall Street sell-off on October 29, 1929?

The sharp Wall Street sell-off on October 29, 1929, is commonly called Black Tuesday.

On that Tuesday, about 16 million shares changed hands on the New York Stock Exchange, then a record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell roughly 12%, following major declines on Black Thursday, October 24, and Black Monday, October 28. The sequence badly damaged investor confidence and helped usher in the Great Depression.

The crash did not single-handedly cause every feature of the Depression. Economic contraction, bank failures, falling prices, international debt problems, and policy choices all contributed to the decade’s hardships. The stock market’s losses nevertheless became its most recognizable symbol.

Black Tuesday is distinct from Black Thursday, the earlier panic day in the same crash sequence. The labels refer to calendar dates, not official market holidays or trading sessions.