Lewis hines iconic images captured the harsh realities of a country undergoing deep transformation during the early part of the 20th century. Kids at work is a book by russell friedman about child labor laws and the jobs that children had to do when they were young. Kate sampsellwillmann assesses hine s output through the lens of his photographs, his political and philosophical ideologies, and his social and aesthetic commitments to the dignity of labor and workers. Reformers, however, did succeed in forcing legislation at the state level banning child labor and setting maximum hours. Hine photographs child labor in new england, published by the university of massachusetts press in november of 2015. C4f6 kids at work lewis hine and the crusade against child. On july 9, 1909, lewis hine wrote a letter describing the working conditions of children living in baltimore, maryland. As an investigative reporter for the national child labor committee during the early. In the early 1900s, lewis hine left his job as a schoolteacher to work as a photographer for the national child labor committee, investigating and documenting child labor in the united states. Mar 06, 2018 a look at early 20thcentury photographer and sociologist, lewis hine.
Child labor was common in the united states in the 19th century. Sixtynine extraordinary photographs of children at work from 190812, taken by lewis w. Teams of investigators were sent to collect evidence of the harsh conditions children were working in. Welcome to the lewis hine project, an amazing journey through 100 years of american history. Hine created images that documented children at work throughout new england, revealing their exploitation in the north as he had for rural working children in the south. His father died in an accident in 1892, and forced hine to help sustain his the family financially.
Exposing child labor although some states had laws against employment of juveniles, millions of american children worked in agriculture and industry in the early twentieth century. Hiness photographs of children at work were so devastating that they convinced the american people that congress must pass child labor laws. To learn more about hines important work in stopping child labor, head over to the collections main page. Lewis hines photography and the end of child labor in the. His poignant images of coal mines, sweatshops, and factories shocked america into passing its first legislation to regulate and reduce child labor. In 1908, photographer lewis hine traveled across the u. The child labour photos that led to change lewis hine is most famous for his photographs of the construction workers who helped build the empire state building in 1930. His compelling pictures helped to persuade legislators and the general public to support laws prohibiting child labor. Lewis hine skip to main search results amazon prime. Hine and his fellow progressives wanted to end child labor. A look at early 20thcentury photographer and sociologist, lewis hine.
This book is full of eye opening and shocking information for the unaware. Thousands of his pictures can be viewed at the library of congress, and many credit him for causing the government to accept the responsibility of protecting the. He spent his time traveling around to country, taking photos of young children working hard all day in dangerous conditions, in attempt for more people to be aware of child labor, and to enforce laws to prevent it. Many children work throughout the year, travelling south to find work during the winter and returning to maryland in the summer. By 1920 the number of child laborers was cut to nearly half of what it had been in 1910. His portraits were used by reformers to drive legislation that would protect young. Hine, the investigative photographer for the national child labor beareau. In 1904, the national child labor committee formed in the hopes of ending the horrors of child labor. These appalling images exposed child labor in america. Hine, american photographer who used his art to bring social ills to public attention.
The photos that helped end child labor in the united states. In the larger context of the history of child labor and the ongoing movement to abolish it, newbery medalist russell freedman whose children of the wild west and immigrant kids also focus on childrens history tells the story of lewis hine, an investigative photographer whose documentation of child labor in the early part of the 20th century was instrumental in the. In 1904, lewis hine photographed immigrants on ellis island, as well as at the tenements and sweatshops where they lived and worked. Lewis hine, a few of whose photos are reproduced here with his original captions, was one such social justice activist. Lewis hine might be one of the forms greatest actors for change. Lewis hine 18741940 about lewis hine was born in oshkosh, wisconsin, on september 26, 1874 to douglas hull hine, a veteran of the civil war, and sarah hayes hine, an educator. In this richly illustrated book, robert macieski examines lewis w. Exposing child labor in 1904 progressive reformers founded the national child labor committee nclc, which congress chartered in 1907.
Then, children as young as five years old were working long hours in dirty, dangerous canneries and mills in new england. Hine s art and advocacy on behalf of child laborers as part of the national child labor committee nclc between 1909 and 1917. From 1908 until 1924, lewis hine took over 5,000 photographs of american child laborers. Hine brought an artists eye to his work as a photographer, though he had no formal artistic training, having taken up a camera in 1903 in. His shocking images from the cotton mills of carolina to the coal breakers in. The cumulative power of lewis hines photographs of child. Child labor in the beet fields of colorado, by lewis w. They are unable to go to school and must perform difficult and dangerous tasks for little pay.
His photographs were instrumental in changing child labor laws in the united states. It gives an overview of hine s life as well as what he discovered as he traveled the country meeting and documenting the working lives of thousands of children. Effective action against child labor had to await the new deal. Lewis hine and the crusade against child labor includes many of the photos he took of children working in mills, factories, and farms. Hines startling photographs of children at work were not the product of mere curiosity, but were part of an antichild labor campaign.
As an investigative reporter for the national child labor committee during the early 20th century, photographer lewis hine documented the fact that children were being exploited in factories, mills, mines and fields across the nation. The book is only 11 years old so the facts arent that dated. Jul 01, 2015 in 1908, photographer lewis hine traveled across the u. Beautiful photos are used throughout the book to show the various jobs kids held in the early 1900s.
Increasingly, hine believed in the symbolic and spiritual aspects of his photography. Photobiography of early twentiethcentury photographer and schoolteacher lewis hine, using his own work as illustrations. Lewis hine was a pioneer in documenting the working conditions of children. In the book kids at work, photographer lewis hine wanted the world to know more about child labor. Hines documentary photography helped change perceptions of ellis island immigration and push changes to child labor laws.
The national child labor committee collection at the library of congress consists of more than 5,100 photographic prints and 355 glass negatives. To raise awareness of the abuses of child labor, the nclc hired sociologist lewis hine to photograph children working in fields, factories, mines, and city streets. Feb 15, 2018 when lewis hine started photographing children at work in 1908, child labour was pervasive in american industry. To raise awareness of the abuses of child labor, the nclc hired sociologist lewis hine to photograph children working in. Lewis hine and the crusade against child labor by russell freedman and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Oct 25, 2018 lewis hine quit his job as a new york city school teacher to join the national child labor committee. This is a great historical picture book for an american history or civics class. Lewis hine, early 20th century photography for social change. Hine was born in oshkosh, wisconsin, on september 26, 1874. Hine was destined to have a unique outlook on life.
Lewis hine was new york teacher and a photographer who went around to different places and documented the jobs that children were doing. One of these investigators was the photographer lewis hine. Lewis hine s haunting photos of abhorrent child labor practices throughout the country compelled many philanthropists and liberal politicians into action. Hine, under the direction of the southern office of the national child labor committee by a. This resulted in two books on the subject, child labour in the carolinas 1909 and day laborers before their time 1909. Children that worked in mills and farms were as young as 3 years old. Lewis hine was trained to be an educator in chicago and new york. Vicki goldberg is a photographic critic for the new york times and the author of several books on photography. Hine 18741940, the intellectual and aesthetic father of social documentary photography. America at work bibliotheca universalis english, german and french edition by peter walther and lewis w. It took the compelling, heart breaking photographs of lewis hine and others to bring the harsh working conditions to light. Although he died in poverty, lewis hine is now considered a master photographer that dedicated his life to child labor reform. A young spinner in a north carolina cotton manufacturing company poses for lewis hine, the documentary photographer who inspired the creation of laws to.
Photobiography of early twentiethcentury photographer lewis hine, using his own work as illustrations. In 1930 to 1931, he recorded the construction of the empire state building, which celebrated the productivity and dignity of the american labor force, and was later published as a book, men at work 1932. These images and more than 150 others are assembled in the handsome survey lewis hine and capture hines belief in the essential nobility of labor. Hine is perhaps best known for his photographs documenting child labor in the early 20th century. Generations of americans have benefited as a result. A project photographing on ellis island with students from the ethical culture school in new york galvanized his recognition of the value of documentary photography in education. These appalling images exposed child labor in america history. Soon after, he became a sociological photographer, establishing a studio in upstate new york in 1912.
This is the first fulllength examination of lewis h. One of the first of freedmans books i read was kids at work. Subsequent to his successful campaign against child labor, hine worked for the red cross during the first world war. Sep 03, 2018 a young spinner in a north carolina cotton manufacturing company poses for lewis hine, the documentary photographer who inspired the creation of laws to ban child labor. Hines art and advocacy on behalf of child laborers as part of the national child labor c. He spent his time traveling around to country, taking photos of young children working hard all day in dangerous conditions, in attempt for more people to be aware. Hine had been hired by the national child labor committee to bolster its written reports with. Lewis hine quit his job as a new york city school teacher to join the national child labor committee. Hine s documentary photography helped change perceptions of ellis island immigration and push changes to child labor laws. A camera was an improbable weapon against the growing evil of child labor in the early years of the 20th century. Child labor through images and essays, for middle school and above. This photoessay describes child labor in the united states at the beginning of the century and how lewis hine fought for reforms. It reveals the truths about child labor in the text and photos. I first saw her four years ago in a show devoted to lewis hines pictures of child workers in vermont.
See more ideas about old photos, history and vintage photos. When lewis hine started photographing children at work in 1908, child labour was pervasive in american industry. In 1904 progressive reformers founded the national child labor committee nclc, which congress chartered in 1907. Lewis hines haunting photos of abhorrent child labor practices throughout the country compelled many philanthropists and liberal politicians into action. Lewis hine and the crusade against child labor 0046442797269. Lewis hine and the crusade against child labor book.
He also documented the construction of the empire state building during his fruitful career. He knew photography would reveal the truth and teach and change the world. The book concludes by sharing the changes in child labor laws that hines photographs helped bring about, as well as information on the child labor situation of today. His goal was to open the publics eyes to the exploitative nature of childrens employment. Lewis wickes hine september 26, 1874 november 3, 1940 was an american sociologist and photographer. See more ideas about photography, old photos and vintage photos. In 1904 progressive reformers founded the national child labor committee nclc, which. America at work, and all those posters, which came after his death, he died at 66 living on welfare. Lewis hine died in poverty, neglected by all but a few. Account of investigations made in the cotton mills of north and south carolina, by rev.
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