It took the compelling, heart breaking photographs of lewis hine and others to bring the harsh working conditions to light. Industrialization and social class lattimer massacre, coal strikes 18961900. Most were out of school and illiterate because their parents had no choice but to send them to work so that they could help support their families. Annals of the american academy of political and social science, vol. John spargos the bitter cry of children, published in 1906, was among the most influential and widely read accounts of child labor written during the progressive era. The photos that helped end child labor in the united states. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, many labor unions and social reformers advocated aggressively for state and local legislation to prevent extreme child labor. Although breaker boys were primarily children, elderly coal miners who could no longer work in the mines because of age, disease, or accident were also sometimes employed as breaker boys. Letourneau said that the targui women knew how to read and write in greater numbers than the men. Back in the 1900s child labor laws exists in the u. Exploring 19thcentury child labor in the united states. Hine and his fellow progressives wanted to end child. Song two rapid formations remastered 2005 artist brian eno. Although breaker boys were primarily children, elderly coal miners who could no longer work in.
Breaker boys straightforward text focuses on a 1911 photograph by lewis hine of a group of boys who sorted coal at a pennsylvania mine for 10 hours a day. Photograph of coal miner boy in usa from early 1900s. Features maps, a song and sheet music, photos, and political cartoons. As progressive child labor reformers gained traction during the last quarter of the 19th century, efforts expanded at the state level to outlaw the employment of small children. This organization was called the national child labor. Children were cheap labor in the mines and young boys were put to work in day and night hours. One day in late march of 1912, a small girl walked into the newspaper office in tamaqua, and asked if she could have a notice posted in the paper in behalf of all the small children in her school. This was the time when the industrial revolution and the process of industrialization transformed america from a rural, agricultural to a city based industrial society that resulted in a massive increase in child labor during the 1800s. Aug 22, 2015 much of the earliest efforts in the labor movement focused on the abuses of child labor, which is easy for kids to identify with and understand. A reformer describes child labor in the coal mines herb. Find great deals on ebay for breaker boys and breaker boys book.
Lewis hine september 26, 1874 november 3, 1940 was an american sociologist and photographer. Another factor that made all industrial jobs more dangerous for. Estimates show that over 50% of the workers in some british factories in the early 1800s were under the age of 14. Even though there were many states that allowed children to work under hazardous conditions, the first child labor committee had been organized in 1904. On the other hand, it is a fact child labor did exist in large numbers in us coal mines during early 1900 s. It also went in depth of what a typical day would be as a breaker boy and what their duties were at different ages. Its hard to imagine it, but in the early 1900s, child labor was still extremely common in the united states. Breaker boys who worked in ewen breaker of pennsylvania coal. Young boys working in the coal mines were often referred to as breaker boys.
Death was even the result of many boys who worked in the breakers. Lewis hines photography and the end of child labor in the. How a photograph helped end child labor by michael burgan 2011, paperback at. It took the compelling, heart breaking photographs of lewis h. Ppt child labor abuse during the 19th century powerpoint. He died at the age of 36 from lung disease caused by being gassed in wwi. But the biggest reason for the decline was much stricter child labor laws. Until about 1900, nearly all coal breaking facilities in the united states were. During the early 1900s mining was a booming business that fueled americas expansion, and created unbelievable wealth for many mine owners.
More breaker boys, here at the pennsylvania breaker in south pittston, pa. The work of hines and the national child labor committee helped usher in. Series of textbooks for persons engaged in the engineering professions and trades vol. Child labor in america, 19081914 rare historical photos. Hines documentary photography helped change perceptions of ellis island immigration and push changes to child labor laws. Oct 03, 2015 the photos that helped end child labor in the united states lewis hine sometimes went undercover to capture images of kids at work. Images of america chapter of the ebook great photographs from the library of congress, 20. Little boys, some as young as 6, spent their long days, not playing or studying, but sorting coal in dusty, loud, and dangerous conditions.
Spargo described work at the coal breaker, the area outside the mine where coal was sorted and organized according to its. First of all, during the gilded age, many children were forced to work in unsanitary work places that contained dangerous machines and harmful substances until laws were passed against child labor. Eastern illinois university teaching with primary sources. All across the nation children would spend their days slaving away in mines and. As we read the book, keep in mind that child labor is still alive today. Breaker boys were children who were too young and sometimes men who were too old to work down in the mines and were responsible for removing impurities from coal extracted from the mines. Boys as young as 8 or 9 were permitted to work 1012 hour shifts in the breaker room, picking coal from rubble and. This article is about songs of unionization, labor strikes, and child labor. Child labor in america a 25 amazing vintage photographs that show boys at coal and zinc mines from a century ago.
Lewis hines famous photos of breaker boys at a pennsylvania coal mine see above helped bring an end to child labor. In 1924, congress proposed a constitutional amendment prohibiting child labor, but the states did not ratify it. Back in these times child labor laws did not exist. In 1870, the first census reporting child laborers indicated 750,000 workers age 15 or under not including family farms or businesses. In 1908, he became the photographer for the national child labor committee nclc, leaving his teaching. Civil rights triangle shirtwaist factory fire peace messages society problems history class industrial revolution girl power books to read.
Hines photos of the breaker boys and other child miners helped build public support for legislation barring child labor. Child labor, pennsylvania coal mines gallery energy. Michael burgan recounts photographer lewis hines fight against child labor in the early 1900s and discusses how his work and the work of others revealed truths about the issue to the public. Child labor was a common practice throughout much of the industrial revolution. Census, one in six children between the ages of five and ten participated in the workforce. Mar 06, 2018 a look at early 20thcentury photographer and sociologist, lewis hine. His photos were widely distributed, their impact greater than any printed word. How a photograph helped end child labor captured history 9780756545109. The breaker boys and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. May 10, 2017 they suffered from lung, ear and eye infections. Breaker boys had to endure harsh and extreme work when they worked in the breakers. How a photograph helped end child labor captured history. These children were forced into the labor force causing them to have to drop out of school. Breaker boys book central rappahannock regional library.
These images off how to be a retronaut were taken by lewis hine back in the 1900s and have been recently released by the national child labor committee col. What do you imagine this work would have been like physically. The laws of our state relative to child labor are an intricate mass of confusing statutes, which well illustrate the legislative jobbery of our representatives, who disregard both science and history in their eagerness to do something whereby their political prospects may be enhanced. Breaker boys who worked in ewen breaker of pennsylvania coal company, south pittston. Union organizer and cofounder of the industrial workers of the world, mary harris jones, also known as mother jones. Many of these breaker boys worked 10 hours a day, six days a week all for as little as 45 cents a day. Oct 25, 2018 poster for the national child labor committee, circa 19. Feb 03, 2012 the revolution, reaction, and reform of child labor nhd 2011 2012 revolution, reaction, and reform. This book is about the photos of lewis hine and how they brought national attention to the child labor movement during the late 1800s early 1900s.
Labor day books for teens and tweens upstate ramblings. In 1888, thousands of matchgirls went on strike in london to protest working conditions and low wages. The united states transition to an industrialized nation, along with changes to child labor laws and inventions that shaped transportation and communications. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. It was signed by nine other girls, all between the ages of 8 and 10. Pittston was known as an anthracite coal mining city and attracted a fair number of job seekers, many of them immigrants from europe. The photos that helped abolish child labor in the u. This photo is of the breaker boys who worked in the coal mines. In 1911, he and another breaker boy fell into an open chute. She handed the reporter a scrap of paper with this brief message. Specifically, the book focuses on the young boys working in the pennsylvania coal mines breaker boys.
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Child labor had been regulated in twentyeight states by the turn of the 20th century. Children being enslaved, separated from their families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses andor left to fend for themselves. In a local strike in 1900, some fathers complained that the boys did not get the. The use of breaker boys diminished later in the 1910s, and by 1920 the use of breaker boys largely ended. A reformer describes child labor in the coal mines. In the united states, there were over 750,000 children under the age of 15 working in 1870.
Forms of extreme child labor existed throughout american history until the 1930s. Arthur was badly injured and the other boy was killed. Many efforts were made to pass a national child labor law. He also documented the construction of the empire state building during his fruitful career. The photos that helped end child labor in the united states lewis hine sometimes went undercover to capture images of kids at work. Apr 19, 2020 a reformer describes child labor in the coal mines. In 1908, the national child labor committee hired the photographer lewis hine to photograph children at work. The work of hines and the national child labor committee helped usher in reforms such as the national industrial recovery. Congress passed two laws, in 1918 and 1922, but the supreme court declared both unconstitutional. Photo, print, drawing breaker boys, woodward coal mines, kingston, pa. Kid blink was one of the leaders of the newsie strike in 1899.
Breaker boys how a photograph helped end child labor book. Breaker boys study guide by librarystfran includes 5 questions covering vocabulary, terms and more. Organizations worked to eliminate child labor, including the national child labor committee. This issue is important and we need to be aware of all the different aspects. Children of the 1900s knew all about strikes times news online. We will also be reading articles that concern child labor around the world. Before child labor laws when every boy and girl had a job. Recounts photographer lewis hines fight against child labor in the early 1900s and discusses how his work and the work of others revealed truths about the issue to the public. Biographies articles books exhibitions oral histories images videos.
These appalling images exposed child labor in america history. His photographs were instrumental in changing the child labor laws in the united states. By 1899, 28 states had passed laws regulating child labor. Breaker boys, coal mines, kingston pa 1900 child labor vintage photo reprint. The library of congress believes that many of the papers in the detroit publishing company collection are in the public domain or have no known restrictions and are free to use and reuse. The laws of our state relative to child labor are an intricate mass of confusing. Child labor was common in the united states in the 19th century. The national child labor committees work to end child labor was combined with efforts to provide free, compulsory education for all children, and culminated in the passage of the fair labor standards act in 1938, which set federal standards for child labor. Exploring 19thcentury child labor in the united states student version activity items the following items are part of this activity and appear at the end of this student version. As industry grew in the period following the civil war, children, often as young as 10 years old but sometimes much younger, labored. The first section discusses child labor as a social and economic problem in america from an historical and theoretical perspective. The move toward statelevel reforms proved challenging.
Child labor and social problems during the gilded age bartleby. It tells the story of how photographer lewis hine used photographs to expose the reality of child labor in the early 1900s. We paired it with this book by michael burgan on child labor in photography. A breaker boy was a coalmining worker in the united states and united kingdom whose job was to separate impurities from coal by hand in a coal breaker. The second part presents child labor as national child labor committee investigators found it in major american industries and occupations, including coal mines, cotton textile mills, and sweatshops in the early 1900s. Labor day books for teens and tweens books to help kids learn about the labor movement and its place in u. Breaker boys breaker boys and coal mining in the 1900s. At this period, child labor was a huge issue because many children died before they reached their 10th birthday.
This source gave me background information with jobs of the breaker boys. Iqbal by francesco dadamo, boys without names by kashmira sheth, i like, i dont like by anna baccelliere, the bitter side. These appalling images exposed child labor in america. Check out these labor day books for teens and tweens for some excellent age appropriate reading about the labor movement. The boys were forced to fight through the exhaustion they experienced and were often times injured because of the work they were performing. In fact, at the time child labor made up 20 percent of the entire work force.
The photos that helped end child labor in the united. Not until 1938, with the fair labor standards act, did any attempt at child labor legislation succeed. The four chapters discuss coal mining, children in the mines, hine and his work, and the slow changes in child labor laws. Child labor and mortality rates in the industrial revolution. Songs of unionization, labor strikes, and child labor. Over the next decade, hine documented child labor, with focus on labor in the carolina piedmont, in american industry to aid the nclcs lobbying efforts to end the practice. By 1900, their efforts had resulted in state and local legislation designed to prevent extreme child labor. It is appropriate then to add the breaker as a school where our boys are trained. There was a time in this country when young children routinely worked legally.
The impression they made contributed significantly to the reform of child labor. In the early 1900s, lewis hine left his job as a schoolteacher to work as a. This child labor practice started in the 1860s and continued into the 1920s. Spargo described work at the coal breaker, the area outside the mine where coal was sorted and organized according to its quality, mostly by young children. By 1910, an estimated 2 million children under the age of 15 were working industrial jobs, for. The industrial revolution in the united states primary.
In 1900, 18 percent of all american workers were under the age of 16. This was also another very dangerous jobs that created high child mortality rates because they would be working with explosives. In the late 19th century, industry in the united states was booming, and labor was in high demand. Coal mining brought a new era of child labor into america. The breaker boys would go to work in the morning when it was still dark and would come home just in time to see the sun go down. Select the link for more information about this photograph. One of our superintendents said that the boys in the anthracite coal fields graduate from the breakers and the mines. Startling photos of child miners from the 1900s history. What is to be prevented is child labor in its most extreme form.
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