(click photographs for captions)
Lewis Hine was brought up in a poor family, raised by Sarah and Douglas Hine.
Hine experienced child labor exploitation firsthand, which greatly affected his position on child labor. Empowered by his personal experiences, Hine was determined to end the evils of child labor.
Hine studied sociology at the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and New York University. At the University of Chicago, Hine met Frank Manny, who became his mentor, and encouraged him to become a teacher. Hine became a teacher at the Ethical Culture School in New York, where Manny was the Superintendent.
“Manny also asked Hine to become the school’s photographer. As photographer, Hine’s primary job was to document the social and academic aspects of the school. Hine soon realized the power that photography had to reveal truth and reality, which made an ever-lasting impact on him. He envisioned photography’s potential as an educational tool.” -International Photography Hall of Fame |
Beginning the Journey
"Ellis Island"
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Hine’s work at Ellis Island was a key stepping stone for his work against child labor. This was the first time Hine saw the power of photographic images, and others saw Hine’s talent. From this experience, Hine realized that photographs were more than an art form, but also a tool for education and social reform.
"He worked at this between 1904 and 1909, and took around 200 pictures in all. The purpose of this project was to reveal the new Americans as individuals, and to counter any idea that they were the worthless scourings of Europe. Hine continued to work with such redemptive purposes in mind." [Jeffrey 159]
"A mere numerical juxtaposition shall put the work he has done in the field of child labor into perspective: The roughly 200 shots taken on Ellis Island seem remarkably few in comparison to over 5,000 taken for the Committee." [Goldberg]. |
Hine was against child labor because it denied many kids access to education. Not only did education help him escape his impoverished past, but as a teacher Hine came across middle-school aged children so illiterate they couldn’t write their name. He believed education was the key to a brighter future that all children should have.
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