Stories of Bravery, Tragedy, and Survival

To commemorate the 110th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, we are highlighting individual stories of passengers and crew. You can find these stories on posters along the park promenade from April 14 - 17, 2022.

It is easy to find information about the first class passengers of the RMS Titanic. Learning more about passengers in second and third class, as well as the crew, is more difficult. We have done our best to honor all of the passengers and crew despite this difficulty.

Thomas Andrews

Rhoda Abbott

Captain Edward John Smith

Alice Catherine Cleaver

Arthur Godfrey Peuchen

The Chinese Passengers

John Jacob Astor IV

The Titanic Musicians

Father Juozas Montvila

The Goodwin Family

Molly Brown

John Hart

John (Jack) Borland Thayer, Jr

Millvina Dean

Olof Elon Osén

Isidor and Ida Straus

Dogs on the Titanic

The Titanic Waifs

Titanic by the Numbers

There were 2,225 souls on board the RMS Titanic, and only 710 (32%) survived. The tragedy could have been greater if the ship were fully occupied with 2,435 passengers. Only 1,317 passengers were aboard - and still, there was not enough room in the lifeboats for everyone.

There were 100 more passengers in third class than in first and second class combined. And, because the ship was not fully occupied, there were almost as many crew members as passengers.

First class passengers included millionaires and aristocracy. Americans comprised 65% of first class passengers. In 2020 dollars, a first-class berth cost between $4,000 and $120,000.

Although many brave men gave up their lives, two-thirds of first class passengers survived.

Second class passengers were businessmen, clergymen, and middle-class families. British passengers comprised 58% of second class passengers. A second class berth cost about $1,500 in 2020 dollars.

Only 13 second-class men survived – the lowest survival rate of all passenger classes.

Third class passengers were largely immigrants to America, and came from throughout Europe and the Middle East. A third class berth cost just under $1,000 in 2020 US dollars, and was the equivalent of about a month’s wages for these passengers. The accommodations were quite good by the standards of the day, and included private cabins and three good meals per day – better than other ships’ steerage accommodations.

Most of the children aboard were in third class, and about two-thirds of them perished.

The number of crew was nearly as large as the passengers aboard. Crew included the Officers, Stewards, Engineers, Radio Operators, and Stokers. Many perished because they stuck to their posts to keep the ship afloat, radio for help, and help passengers into lifeboats.

Did you know?

The RMS Titanic was 883 feet long. If it were docked along the park promenade, it would stretch from the corner rail behind the Titanic Memorial to the front door of the DC Harbor Patrol building.

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