During the 1930s Dust Bowl era, severe drought and farming practices led to massive dust storms that destroyed crops and left many homeless. Dorothea Lange was hired by the Resettlement Administration to document the plight of migrant workers. In 1936, she photographed a pregnant mother of 7 children in a California pea picker's camp, creating her iconic image "Migrant Mother" that came to represent the hardships of the Great Depression. While the photo drew attention to their struggles, it was taken without the subject's consent and she received no direct benefits, though it made Lange a renowned documentary photographer.

1. Dorothea Lange and the Migrant MotherDorothea Lange and the Migrant Mother

2. During the 1930s severe drought, poor farming methods and highDuring the 1930s severe drought, poor farming methods and high
winds combined to turn soil across the US and Canadian prairies towinds 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.

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

4. 20 of the worst black blizzards occurred across the Great20 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 Sunday
April 14, 1935April 14, 1935

5. Conditions desperateConditions desperate

6. Many packed and moved westwardMany packed and moved westward

7. What became known as theWhat became known as the Dust BowlDust Bowl forced tens offorced tens of
thousands of families to leave their farms, many migratingthousands of families to leave their farms, many migrating
to Californiato California

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

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

10. Migrant pea pickers camp in CaliforniaMigrant pea pickers camp in California

11. TheThe 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 federalrelocating 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.

12. 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

13. RA and FSA hiredRA and FSA hired
photographers for publicphotographers for public
relations to documentrelations to document
that there was need.that there was need.
This mission resulted inThis mission resulted in
over 80,000 photographs,over 80,000 photographs,
one of the most famousone of the most famous
documentarydocumentary
photography projectsphotography projects
undertaken.undertaken.

14. Socially ConsciousSocially Conscious
Photographer andPhotographer and
DocumentarianDocumentarian
Dorothea LangeDorothea Lange
1895-19651895-1965

15. Dorothea Lange was hired byDorothea Lange was hired by
the FSA to document the ruralthe FSA to document the rural
hardship she encounteredhardship she encountered
across the countryacross the country

16. Lange's photographs humanized the tragic
consequences of the Great Depression
But one photo came to represent the era….

17. Lange’s iconic
photo
“Migrant Mother”
(Florence
Thompson)
1936

18. 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 theDoes the photographer participate in the
documentation?documentation?
Can one document an event withoutCan one document an event without
influencing the event?influencing the event?

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

23. 32 yr. old Florence
Thompson,
pregnant mother
of 7 in California
Pea-Picker’s Camp

24. The Migrant Mother
Emotionally
charged, and sad.
A single poignant
moment.
Only 3 children
shown, faces
hidden

25. Ethical Concerns:Ethical Concerns:
What about the subject?What about the subject?
What responsibility does theWhat responsibility does the
photographer have?photographer have?
How was the subject treated?How was the subject treated?
Who benefits?Who benefits?

26. 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.

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

28. “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

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