Yonges Island

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Lewis Hine, considered by many to be the father of modern social documentary photography, spent more than a decade as the official photographer for the National Child Labor Committee. Between 1908 and 1921, Hine photographed rural and urban child laborers across the country. The resulting images were used in NCLC pamphlets, exhibits, and magazine advertisements, and helped to transform the nation’s attitudes and policies on child labor and welfare. Hine wrote captions for most of his photos, incorporating facts about the people and places depicted, and often with direct quotes from his subjects. These original captions, where available, are given, unedited, in quotation marks below. "Shuckers in the Varn and Platt Cannery Co. This is 4 year old Mary in the foreground. Was helping some. 6 of the Shuckers were 10 years and up to 12.”

Keywords

United States
Photography
Child laborers
Documentary
Gelatin Silver