Dorothea Lange and the Migrant MotherDorothea Lange and the Migrant Mother

During the 1930s severe drought, poor farming methods and high During the 1930s severe drought, poor farming methods and high winds combined to turn soil across the US and Canadian prairies to winds combined to turn soil across the US and Canadian prairies to dust. The dust blew in massive clouds across the country. dust. The dust blew in massive clouds across the country.

The dust clouds often blackened the skyThe dust clouds often blackened the sky

20 of the worst black blizzards occurred across the Great 20 of the worst black blizzards occurred across the Great Plains turning day to night.Plains turning day to night.

500,000 Americans were left homeless500,000 Americans were left homeless

Black SundayBlack SundayApril 14, 1935April 14, 1935

Conditions desperateConditions desperate

Many packed and moved westwardMany packed and moved westward

What became known as the What became known as the Dust Bowl Dust Bowl forced tens of forced tens of thousands of families to leave their farms, many migrating thousands of families to leave their farms, many migrating to Californiato California

But California was not the promised landBut California was not the promised land

Workers had to compete for work with other workers and immigrantsWorkers had to compete for work with other workers and immigrants

Migrant pea pickers camp in CaliforniaMigrant pea pickers camp in California

The The Resettlement AdministrationResettlement Administration ( (RARA) was a New Deal U.S. federal agency ) was a New Deal U.S. federal agency relocating struggling families to communities planned by the federal relocating struggling families to communities planned by the federal

government but also bringing attention to the needs of the people affected.government but also bringing attention to the needs of the people affected.

The Resettlement Administration (RA)

The RA originally focused on building relief camps for migratory workers in California during the depression. Many of the refugees were from the drought-struck Dust Bowl of the Southwest.

The RA later folded into the Farm Security Administration (FSA), which operated until 1946

RA and FSA hired RA and FSA hired photographers for public photographers for public

relations to document relations to document that there was need.that there was need.

This mission resulted in This mission resulted in over 80,000 photographs, over 80,000 photographs, one of the most famous one of the most famous

documentary documentary photography projects photography projects

undertaken.undertaken.

Socially Conscious Socially Conscious Photographer and Photographer and

DocumentarianDocumentarian

Dorothea LangeDorothea Lange1895-19651895-1965

Dorothea Lange was hired by Dorothea Lange was hired by the FSA to document the rural the FSA to document the rural

hardship she encountered hardship she encountered across the country across the country

Lange's photographs humanized the tragic consequences of the Great Depression

But one photo came to represent the era….

Lange’s iconic photo

“Migrant Mother”

(Florence Thompson)

1936

Ethical Concerns:Ethical Concerns:

Consider the series of pictures.Consider the series of pictures.

Is there an element of stage management?Is there an element of stage management?

Does the photographer participate in the Does the photographer participate in the documentation?documentation?

Can one document an event without Can one document an event without influencing the event?influencing the event?

“I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet.” Lange

32 yr. old Florence Thompson, pregnant mother of 7 in California Pea-Picker’s Camp

The Migrant Mother

Emotionally charged, and sad.

A single poignant moment.

Only 3 children shown, faces hidden

Ethical Concerns:Ethical Concerns:

What about the subject?What about the subject?

What responsibility does the What responsibility does the photographer have?photographer have?

How was the subject treated?How was the subject treated?

Who benefits?Who benefits?

Lange did not ask Florence her name. Her identity was unknown for over 40 years

The photos were published days after being taken and resulted in 20,000 lbs. of food aid to the area. But Florence and family had moved on and received no benefit

She bitterly resented the picture. Years later she died of Cancer and did benefit from some public support.  

Lange did not make money from the photo but she did become well known and Lange did not make money from the photo but she did become well known and successfulsuccessfulShe brought attention to an important cause and made a huge impact on She brought attention to an important cause and made a huge impact on documentary photographydocumentary photography

“Her photographs bring the subjects alive while transmitting an emotional, even raw, vitality that captured the human condition. Lange succinctly recounted her photographic goals while working in the field: ‘See what you can bring home. See what is really there. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What actually is the human condition?’ “http://www.katahdin.org/films/lange/more.html

“The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.”

Dorothea Lange