Rudolph & Louis Kartous, Dallas, Texas

Lewis Hine caption: Seven year old Rudie Kartis, and brother, Louis, 9 years old. The older brother soon finds little one is a drawing card. Location: Dallas, Texas, October 1913. Rudoph Kartous mentioned article below. "The Newsboys of Dallas," from The Survey, Vol. … [Read more...]

Odell McDuffey & Sam Stillman, Dallas, Texas

Lewis Hine caption: Two six-year old newsboys. Odell McDuffy, Sam Stillman, Dallas. There are many other of six and seven years selling here. Location: Dallas, Texas, October 1913. "He played for the Panhandle Oil Company, in the Texas League. He was a pitcher. He had a … [Read more...]

Rosa & Exie Phillips, Dallas, Texas

Lewis Hine caption: Rosy Phillips. Fifteen year old spinner in a Dallas cotton mill. She was far from "rosy" - thin, anaemic. Prematurely old. Her brother Exie [?] twelve years old who helps her some on Saturdays. He said: "I can't get a steady job, but I can help her all I want … [Read more...]

Leila Prater, Dallas, Texas

Lewis Hine caption: Leila Prater, Virginia K. Johnson Home, Dallas, Tex. According to the records of the house physician, one third of the girls in this institution come from the farms, and began work at cotton picking, at seven and eight years of age. Leila had been working in a … [Read more...]

Blizzard family, Kempton, Maryland

John Vachon caption: The Blizzard family, Kempton, West Virginia, May 1939, John Vachon. (*Note: the photo was taken in Kempton, Maryland, not West Virginia). "I agree that we were a poor family, but I don't see how we could've been that bad off. We were living on a small farm … [Read more...]

Patton family, Robinson, Illinois

John Vachon caption: Wife and child of FSA (Farm Security Administration) tenant purchase borrower, Crawford County, Illinois, May 1940. According to the Library of Congress: “The photographs in the Farm Security Administration…form an extensive pictorial record of American … [Read more...]

Nat Williamson family, Guilford County, North Carolina

John Vachon caption: Nat Williamson with wife and one child. Guilford County, North Carolina, April 1938. In April and May of 1938, John Vachon was in his second full year as a traveling photographer for the Farm Security Administration (FSA). While on the road in Georgia, he … [Read more...]

Charles Thompson, Michigan, North Dakota

John Vachon caption: Michigan, North Dakota, October 1940. "I miss talking to him. He was always interested in what we did. He took the time to listen. He didn't pass judgment. He taught me about responsibility. You do the best job you can do whatever it is you want to be. You … [Read more...]

Bettenhausen family, McIntosh County, North Dakota

John Vachon caption: Bettenhausen children. McIntosh County, North Dakota. November 1940. "Oliver Jr., Neil and I always seemed to be working with Dad's tools in the workshop. Even after many reminders not to get into ‘my tools,' we managed to go to the tool shop and try to … [Read more...]

Miksch family, Liberty Township, Kansas

John Vachon caption: The Misch family, tenant purchase borrowers. Labette County, Kansas, November 1940. "I remember Mom and Dad laughing about it. The photographer dropped by one morning and wanted to take a picture of the kitchen cabinets we had just put in. My brothers were … [Read more...]

Henry Calvin Richardson, Oregon County, Missouri

John Vachon caption: H.C. Richardson, Ozark farmer, with goat skin which has been bleached and washed. He sells these in town, three dollars. Oregon County, Missouri, November 1940. "When I was growing up in Thayer, Missouri, Granddad Richardson lived with his son Jack in a … [Read more...]

Lansing family, Ross County, Ohio

John Vachon caption: The Lansing family, FSA (Farm Security Administration) borrowers. Ross County, Ohio, October 1940. "My parents probably used the money to buy the house and the land. I don't know what would have happened to them if they hadn't been able to do that." … [Read more...]

Richard Wolverton, Newark, Ohio

Ben Shahn caption: Newsboy, Newark, Ohio, 1938 Summer. In the summer of 1938, Ben Shahn, then a photographer for the Farm Security Administration, made a long trip through the Midwest. He stopped in the small town of Newark, Ohio, and snapped a few pictures of ordinary street … [Read more...]

Harvey Schneider, Washington, DC

Lewis Hine caption: 9 P.M. Gum vendors still selling, near the National Theatre. Eli Marks, 505 4 1/2 St. S.W., (8 yrs. old, makes 25 cents a night.) Morris Marks, 10 yrs. old makes 50 cents a night. Harvey Schneider, 11 yrs. old, makes 50 cents a night, 209 -- 10th St. S.W. … [Read more...]

Dante Mercurio, Washington, DC

Lewis Hine caption: Danny Mercurio, newsboy, 150 Scholes Alley, Washington, DC, April 1912. In mid-April of 1912, the National Child Labor Committee sent Lewis Hine to Washington, DC, to photograph boys and girls engaged in the street trades, most of them newsboys as young as … [Read more...]

Solomon Sickle, Washington, DC

Lewis Hine caption: Solomon Sickle, 11 yr. old gum vendor, 321 Seventh St., Washington, D.C., Says he sells until 8 P.M. Very illiterate, been in this country only six months. Location: Washington (D.C.), District of Columbia, April 1912. "He came from rural Russia, and he was … [Read more...]

Israel April, Washington, DC

Lewis Hine caption: After midnight April 17, 1912, and still selling extras. There were many of these groups of young news-boys selling very late these nights. Youngest boy in the group is Israel Spril (9 yrs. old), 314 I St., N.W., Washington D.C. Harry Shapiro, (11 yrs. old), … [Read more...]

James Logullo, Wilmington, Delaware

Lewis Hine caption: James Lequlla, newsboy, 12 years of age. Selling newspapers 3 years. Average earnings 50 cents per week. Selling newspapers own choice. Earnings not needed at home. Don't smoke. Visits saloons. Works 7 hours per day. Investigator, Edward F. Brown. Location: … [Read more...]

Dora Nevins, Hartford, Connecticut

Lewis Hine caption: Dora Nevins 12 years old. Been selling 1 year. Location: Hartford, Connecticut, March 1909, Lewis Hine. "She was a homebody. She liked to cook. She made a good chicken soup." -Harold Basch, son of Dora Nevins The following was written by the editor in a … [Read more...]

Bessie Brownstein, Hartford, Connecticut

Lewis Hine caption: Newsgirls waiting for papers. Largest girl, Alice Goldman has been selling for 4 years. Newsdealer says she uses viler language than the newsboys do. Besie Goldman and Bessie Brownstein are 9 years old and have been selling about one year. All sell until 7:00 … [Read more...]