Poor children in the 1920’s and 1930’s endure life threatening labor conditions to help family’s survive; pose unknowingly for photos that will play a significant role in changing child labor laws.
Young boys working in a coal mine, ranging in age from 10 to 16 gathered in front of a large opening that can be assumed to be the entrance/exit of a coal mine, with somber faces, dressed with every available resource around them. Observe, the young boy in the center front row showing suspenders held together by a string and another boy has the tip of his glove missing. When looking at the rest of the boys you can see that they all have gloves that are too big for them, which would pose a risk for getting caught in any machinery they may be around. …show more content…
The black markings on their faces come from the coal powder in the air, which will also end up in their lungs causing what is known as “Black Lung”. A passage from John Spargo’s Book “The Bitter Cry of Children” describes it best, “The coal is hard, and accidents to the hands, such as cut, broken, or crushed fingers, are common among the boys. Sometimes there is a worse accident: a terrified shriek is heard, and a boy is mangled and torn in the machinery, or disappears in the chute to be picked out later smothered and dead. Clouds of dust fill the breakers and are inhaled by the boys, laying the foundations for asthma and miners' consumption.” (Spargo, …show more content…
Originally taken in South Pittston, PA - January 1911 by Lewis Hine, who according to the Library of Congress was commissioned by the National Child Labor Committee to document the working and living conditions of children in the United States between 1908 and 1924. (National Archives, 2013) Lewis Hine was a school teacher and photographer in New York City. Hine felt strongly about childe labor and “believed that a picture could tell a powerful story”. (National Archives, 2013) Traveling around the country, often times Hine would conceal his purpose from company managers so that he could gain access to the inside of factories or mines and photograph things the managers did not want to be seen by the public. Because Hines gained his photos by deceit he felt it was important to document carefully to insure the integrity of the
Young boys working in a coal mine, ranging in age from 10 to 16 gathered in front of a large opening that can be assumed to be the entrance/exit of a coal mine, with somber faces, dressed with every available resource around them. Observe, the young boy in the center front row showing suspenders held together by a string and another boy has the tip of his glove missing. When looking at the rest of the boys you can see that they all have gloves that are too big for them, which would pose a risk for getting caught in any machinery they may be around. …show more content…
The black markings on their faces come from the coal powder in the air, which will also end up in their lungs causing what is known as “Black Lung”. A passage from John Spargo’s Book “The Bitter Cry of Children” describes it best, “The coal is hard, and accidents to the hands, such as cut, broken, or crushed fingers, are common among the boys. Sometimes there is a worse accident: a terrified shriek is heard, and a boy is mangled and torn in the machinery, or disappears in the chute to be picked out later smothered and dead. Clouds of dust fill the breakers and are inhaled by the boys, laying the foundations for asthma and miners' consumption.” (Spargo, …show more content…
Originally taken in South Pittston, PA - January 1911 by Lewis Hine, who according to the Library of Congress was commissioned by the National Child Labor Committee to document the working and living conditions of children in the United States between 1908 and 1924. (National Archives, 2013) Lewis Hine was a school teacher and photographer in New York City. Hine felt strongly about childe labor and “believed that a picture could tell a powerful story”. (National Archives, 2013) Traveling around the country, often times Hine would conceal his purpose from company managers so that he could gain access to the inside of factories or mines and photograph things the managers did not want to be seen by the public. Because Hines gained his photos by deceit he felt it was important to document carefully to insure the integrity of the