"Lewis Wickes Hine studying at the University of Chicago." (University of Chicago Illinois, 1900-1901)
Point, Click, Shoot: Lewis Hine’s Photographs Create a Turning Point for Child Labor
"Lewis Wickes Hine in WW1 uniform with camera." (Guss, David Lee, Fine Arts of America, C. 1917)
Lead-Up
Lewis Hine, a renowned sociologist and photographer, dedicated his life to advocating for social reform in the early 1900s. Hine, a native of Oshkosh, Wisconsin who lost his father at thirteen, worked long hours at a furniture upholstery shop to support his family where he saw firsthand the exploitation of young workers. Motivated to change his fortunes, Hine took university classes in sociology and met Frank Manny, who encouraged his entry into education.
When Manny left to lead the Ethical Culture School in New York City, he offered Hine a job teaching and serving as the photography director. After assigning his students to photograph immigrants at Ellis Island, Hine’s eyes were opened to the realities of immigrant life, as well as to the potential for utilizing photography as a tool to bring about social change.
"Frank Addison Manny." (Jane Addams, 1906)
“Mr. Manny saw a need for visualizing the school activities (this was in many ways one of the most progressive schools in the country) so he conceived the idea of having a ‘school photographer’ and I was elected to the job.”
~Lewis Hine (University of Chicago Illinois, 1901)
"Photography Class." (Hine, The Photographic Times, August 1908)
National Child Labor Committee
Hine wrote magazine articles about his experiences using photography as an educational tool. He also took classes in social work where he met Arthur Kellogg, who introduced him to the National Child Labor Committee, an agency that promoted child labor laws. The NCLC hired Hine as their photographer and assigned him to travel the country using his camera to capture the harsh realities of child labor.
"Photography in the School." (Hine, The Photographic Times, Aug. 1908)
"A poster released by the National Child Labor Committee." (Thomas, JD., U.S. Department of Labor Children's Bureau, 1908)