What was the name of the 1929 U.S. stock-market collapse that preceded the Great Depression?

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 was the U.S. stock-market collapse that preceded the Great Depression.

The crash unfolded through several dramatic sessions in October 1929. Black Thursday came on October 24, Black Monday on October 28, and Black Tuesday on October 29. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had reached a peak in September before losing almost 90% of its value by its 1932 low.

Speculative buying, widespread use of borrowed money, uneven economic growth, and weakening industrial conditions all made the market vulnerable. Falling prices forced investors to sell, and margin calls accelerated the decline. The crash itself did not single-handedly cause the Great Depression, but it helped deepen a broader economic crisis.

The term is sometimes used loosely for the entire downturn from 1929 to 1932. More precisely, the crash refers to the abrupt market collapse, while the Great Depression describes the prolonged worldwide economic contraction that followed.