Child Labor in the U.S. during the Progressive Era

Photographs by Lewis Hine& Library of Congress

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/index.html

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/ncl2004000154/PP/

Noon hour at An Indianapolis Cannery. Aug., 1908. Location: Indianapolis, Indiana.

Breaker boys in Kohinor mine, Shenandoah City, Pa.

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/93500119/

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/nclc.05126/

Boys "linking" bed-springs. 14 and 15 years old. Location: Boston, Massachusetts

The Mill: A moment's glimpse of the outer world. Said she was 11 years old. Been working over a year. Rhodes Mfg. Co.

Lincolnton, North Carolina.http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/hine-glimpse.htm

The Mill: Some boys and girls were so small they had to climb up on to the spinning frame to mend broken threads

and to put back the empty bobbins. Bibb Mill No. 1. Macon, Georgia.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/hine-empty.htm

The Mill: The overseer said apologetically, "She just happened in." She was working steadily. The mills seem full

of youngsters who "just happened in" or "are helping sister." Newberry, South Carolina.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/hine-full.htm

Newsies: A group of newsies selling on the Capitol steps. Tony, age 8, Dan, 9, Joseph, 10, and John, age 11.

Washington, D.C.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/hine-capitol.htm

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/hine-indiana.htm

The Factory: 9 p.m. in an Indiana Glass Works.

Seafood Workers: Oyster shuckers working in a canning factory. All but the very smallest babies work. Began work at 3:30 a.m. and expected to work until 5 p.m. The little girl

in the center was working. Her mother said she is "a real help to me." Dunbar, Louisiana.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/hine-dunbar.htm

Struggling Families: A family working in the Tifton Cotton Mill. Four smallest children not working yet. The mother

said she earns $4.50 a week and all the children earn $4.50 a week. Husband died and left her with 11 children. Two of

them went off and got married. The family left the farm two years ago to work in the mill. Tifton, Georgia.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/hine-widow.htm