Black Tuesday was the 1929 U.S. trading day when the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost nearly 12 percent.
It occurred on October 29, 1929, after major selling had already shaken Wall Street on Black Thursday, October 24, and Black Monday, October 28. More than 16 million shares changed hands on Black Tuesday, a record at the time, as investors rushed to exit positions.
The crash did not single-handedly cause the Great Depression. Economic weakness, bank failures, debt problems, reduced demand, and policy responses all contributed to the prolonged downturn. However, the collapse destroyed wealth and severely damaged confidence.
The Dow had reached a peak in September 1929 before falling rapidly. Black Tuesday is often used as a shorthand for the wider Wall Street Crash of 1929, but the crash unfolded across several volatile sessions rather than one isolated moment.