The Wall Street Crash began in 1929, marking the start of the Great Depression.
The crash followed a prolonged rise in U.S. share prices during the 1920s. Easy credit, speculative buying, and purchases made with borrowed money pushed prices far above many companies’ underlying earnings. Confidence weakened in October, and heavy selling overwhelmed the market.
The most famous dates were Black Thursday, October 24, Black Monday, October 28, and Black Tuesday, October 29. The collapse did not by itself cause every aspect of the Great Depression, but it severely damaged wealth, confidence, and financial institutions.
A common mix-up is treating October 29 as the entire crash. It was the most dramatic early break, while the market continued falling for years and reached its eventual low in 1932.