Why is New York City often called the ‘Big Apple’?

There are various accounts which attempt to trace the origins of the name. These include historical apple vendors, a Harlem night club, and a popular dance in the 1930s known as the ‘Big Apple’. However it was actually the jazz musicians who made the term popular. When jazz musicians said they had a gig at the ‘Big Apple’ it meant they would perform in the wealthiest and most coveted venue, Manhattan. Even then, the true origin of the word came from the racefields in the early 1930s. A newspaper writer called John Fitzgerald, who covered the races in New York, titled his column ‘Around the Big Apple’. He heard the phrase from a couple of Black stable boys who described New York as the ‘Big Apple’ because of the bountiful opportunity to make money there which they discovered ever since they went to New York.

By the 1970s the phrase had been largely forgotten and the city became known for its blackouts, strikes, street crime, and riots. In 1971, to improve the image of the city and the state, the ‘I ♥ NY’ advertising campaign was launched with merchandise sporting the ‘Big Apple’ logo. The movement is still popular and strong today and is most famous for its tshirts with the logo I ♥ NY.