The suicide wave that followed the United States stock market crash of October 1929 is more legend than fact  Careful examination of the monthly figures on the causes of death in 1929 shows that the number of suicides in October and in November was comparatively low  In only three other months were the monthly figures lower
During the summer months, when the stock market was flourishing, the number of suicides was substantially higher
October and November have almost always had relatively high suicide rates, even during the 1920s and 1930s.