Wall Street Crash Premonitions

Leading up to Black Tuesday on October 29, 1929, several people claimed to have experienced precognitive dreams or visions warning them of the impending stock market catastrophe. Some reportedly sold their holdings based on these premonitions and avoided financial ruin.

The Crash

On October 29, 1929:

• Stock market collapsed
• Black Tuesday devastated investors
• Billions lost in days
• Started the Great Depression
• Financial disaster

Documented Premonitions

Several accounts exist of:

• Dreams of financial disaster
• Visions of falling stocks
• Intuitions to sell
• Warnings received
• Actions taken

Jesse Livermore

The famous trader:

• Shorted the market before crash
• Made millions
• Some attributed to intuition
• Possibly technical analysis
• Or supernatural insight?

Anonymous Accounts

Contemporary newspapers reported:

• People selling before crash
• Based on “feelings”
• Dreams of disaster
• Intuitive warnings
• Lucky timing?

The Pattern

Premonition claims often include:

• Vivid dreams of chaos
• Strong urge to sell
• Specific dates seen
• Warnings from deceased relatives
• Sense of impending doom

Skeptical View

Critics note:

• Hindsight bias is powerful
• Many had premonitions that didn’t happen
• Those who sold early get remembered
• Confirmation bias at work
• No verifiable predictions

Research Interest

The case drew attention from:

• Parapsychology researchers
• Financial historians
• Dream researchers
• Those studying precognition
• Skeptical investigators

Similar Claims

Throughout history:

• Titanic premonitions
• 9/11 premonitions
• Natural disaster warnings
• Pattern of major event predictions
• Some documented, most not verified

The Phenomenon

Precognitive claims often:

• Emerge after the fact
• Involve major events
• Can’t be tested in advance
• Are unfalsifiable
• Remain controversial

Significance

The Wall Street crash premonitions are significant for:

• Major historical event
• Multiple claimed predictions
• Intersection of finance and paranormal
• Illustrating hindsight bias
• Enduring mystery

Legacy

Whether genuine precognition or post-hoc reconstruction, claims of premonitions about the 1929 crash represent a fascinating intersection of financial history and paranormal belief. They remind us how humans seek to find meaning and warning in extraordinary events.