~Dr. Joshua Freeman, CUNY Professor of Labor Studies (Personal Interview, April 10, 2024)
Point, Click, Shoot: Lewis Hine’s Photographs Create a Turning Point for Child Labor
Hine, "In a Children's Home." (George Eastman Museum, 1909)
Legacy
Hine’s enduring legacy is best viewed by refocusing the lens beyond laws that protect children to include a panoramic view of his life’s work. He provides an important reminder regarding the individual's power to leverage tools at their disposal in the fight for social justice to safeguard the most vulnerable members of society. As such, Hine’s work created a turning point for the modern labor movement and is a testament to the transformative power of photography to drive social change.
"Photography can light up darkness and expose ignorance."
~Lewis Hine (Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO, N.d.)
Lewis Hine significantly influenced other photographers through his pioneering use of photography as a tool for social activism. His impactful documentary work shed light on the plight of marginalized communities, inspiring a generation of photographers to use their craft to advocate for social change. Dorothea Lange, known for her iconic images depicting the Great Depression, was greatly influenced by Hine’s commitment to using photography as a means of raising awareness about social issues and advocating for reform.
"Photographer Dorothea Lange pictured in Texas." (Taylor, NPR)
"Migrant Mother. " (Lange, Library of Congress, 1936)
Hine’s dedication to capturing the human experience with honesty and compassion resonated deeply and shaped others' approaches to photography. Thus, by utilizing his camera for social change, Hine left a lasting legacy on generations of photo- journalists——past, present, and future.
“It was Lewis Hine who made sure that millions of children are not working today.”
~Jeffrey Newman, NCLC President (Washington Post, May 1, 2023)
Impact
Written Materials