Final answer:
Jacob Riis brought attention to tenement life with his book 'How the Other Half Lives' in 1890. His use of early photojournalism spurred reforms in New York tenements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The miseries of tenement life were brought to national attention in How the Other Half Lives, a book published in 1890 by Jacob Riis. Jacob Riis, an immigrant to the United States, experienced firsthand the harsh conditions of urban poverty after moving to New York. He became a police reporter and spent considerable time in the city's tenements. Haunted by the living conditions he witnessed, Riis captured these environs using early photojournalism to raise awareness about the plight of the city's poor. His evocative work spurred public support for tenement reforms and led to the enactment of some of New York's first laws aimed at improving tenement life. As a notable social reformer, Riis exhibited a compelling use of narrative and photography to instigate change and rectify societal inequalities.