The Parade That Fueled a Pandemic
On September 28, 1918, as World War I raged, Philadelphia hosted a grand Liberty Loan Drive parade to support the war effort. Over 200,000 people crowded Broad Street to watch a procession of soldiers, Boy Scouts, and marching bands. Unbeknownst to them, the parade would become a deadly event, spreading the Spanish Flu, a lethal virus ravaging nearby military bases.
The Swift Fallout
Just two days later, Philadelphia’s public health director, Wilmer Krusen, admitted the flu had hit the civilian population. Hospitals were overwhelmed within 72 hours, and by early October, over 4,500 people had died. Morgues overflowed, casket prices soared, and families were forced to bury their dead.
A City Unprepared
Despite warnings, Krusen allowed the parade, prioritizing bond sales over public health. Belated efforts to contain the outbreak—closing schools, churches, and public spaces—failed to stem the tide. By the end of October, more than 12,000 Philadelphians had succumbed to the flu.
A Pandemic’s Lasting Toll
The Spanish Flu ultimately killed 100 million people worldwide, including 675,000 Americans.
Philadelphia’s Liberty Loan parade of September 28, 1918, aimed to boost wartime bonds, but it became one of the deadliest public events in history. With over 200,000 attendees packed onto Broad Street, it unknowingly unleashed the lethal Spanish Flu among the crowded spectators. pic.twitter.com/JeyyL5pt2j
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