Rhodes Mfg. Co., Lincolnton, N.C. Spinner. A moments glimpse of the outer world Said she was 10 years old. Been working over a year. Location: Lincolnton, North Carolina. (LOC)

Hine, Lewis Wickes,, 1874-1940,, photographer.

Rhodes Mfg. Co., Lincolnton, N.C. Spinner. A moments glimpse of the outer world Said she was 10 years old. Been working over a year. Location: Lincolnton, North Carolina.

1908 November.

1 photographic print.

Notes:
 Title from NCLC caption card.
Attribution to Hine based on provenance.
In album: Mills.
Hine no. 0249.

Subjects:
 Girls.
Textile mill workers.
Textile machinery.
Mills.
United States--North Carolina--Lincolnton.

Format: Photographic prints.

Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.

Repository: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print

Part Of: Photographs from the records of the National Child Labor Committee (U.S.) 2004667950

General information about the Lewis Hine child labor photos is available at hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.nclc

Higher resolution image is available (Persistent URL): hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/nclc.01345

Call Number: LOT 7479, v. 1, no. 0249

Comments and faves

  1. ★

    OliveRyan, Posteriormente, ifa15051981, getolina, and 334 other people added this photo to their favorites.

  2. Pilgrim on this road - Bill Revill (3 months ago | reply)

    One of the greatest photos of the 20th century.

  3. disposable photography (3 months ago | reply)

    .... lest we ever forget...

  4. Cignale (3 months ago | reply)

    Truly awesome, it makes the Past alive and vibrant.

  5. Cynthia E. Wood (3 months ago | reply)

    A great reminder of why we have unions and labor laws...which a lot of people seem to have forgotten about.

  6. camerawala sazzid (3 months ago | reply)

    :)

  7. Eli the Bearded (3 months ago | reply)

    Which are so easy to forget when we have no textile manufacturing left in the US.

  8. D.OliveroS (3 months ago | reply)

    this is simply awesome!

  9. 'grahamsj3 (3 months ago | reply)

    Many, many children never had a childhood due to having to work from such a young age. As someone else stated, this was part of the reason for Unions, plus an incentive for child labor laws.

  10. Out to Lunch (3 months ago | reply)

    This abuse is still prevalent in many 'low wage' countries today. A disgrace.

  11. trialsanderrors (3 months ago | reply)

    Love, love, love to see Lewis Hine's NCLC pictures here on Flickr.

  12. Randy's Dailies (3 months ago | reply)

    The Lewis Hine work from this period is among the best photograpy in the LOC (or among the very best photography period). Thanks for posting it.

  13. kivajo (3 months ago | reply)

    some photos are ahead of their time. this, is one of them. :)

  14. KittyKaht (3 months ago | reply)

    I love this - what wonderful perspective really!

  15. Zinaida Beaumont (late too much work) (3 months ago | reply)

    Hard times
    Great photography

  16. James Hanlon (3 months ago | reply)

    Incredible image.

  17. ppkmd (3 months ago | reply)

    We once stayed overnight in one of the NC mills that has been turned into a hotel and conference center...it is said that it is haunted by some of the children that once worked (and presumably ended their young lives) there. This image is hauntingly beautiful.

  18. 1ragincajun (3 months ago | reply)

    amazing

  19. PETER9914 (3 months ago | reply)

    This is a sad sad image, judging by the look on her face she would rather be outside with whoever she is watching. The machinery is roaring along behind her, no safety rails etc.

  20. This photo was invited and added to the Taking pictures is the way time is stopped in group.

  21. This photo was invited and added to the Science, Technology, History group.

  22. This photo was invited and added to the More Than Portraits group.

  23. Max Penn (3 months ago | reply)

    And to our shame Americans are exporting jobs to those places to satisfy their need for cheap and overabundant goods.

  24. bokuwanihongasuki (3 months ago | reply)

    1908 ... umbelievable. What a fantastic picture.

  25. This photo was invited and added to the Life Portraits Expressions - Invite only group.

  26. Cida Garcia (3 months ago | reply)

    Muito expressiva!

  27. Theronorama (3 months ago | reply)

    When walking up stairs in an old textile mill in North Carolina, I noticed how small the steps were. Then I remembered how small the feet of the workers must have been.

    This is a wonderful collection of editorial photographs.

  28. Randy's Dailies (3 months ago | reply)

    Is there a photo shot from the opposite side of the same child worker in your collection? Is it on flickr? They are both good. I can't decide if I like the one looking out the window or the one where the work is being done, but I think they both combine to really complete the story.

  29. This photo was invited and added to the Old Textile Mills group.

  30. Ryan (LOC P&P) (3 months ago | reply)

    Randy's Dailies: Here's another view from our collection showing the same child and two others from the same textile mill: www.loc.gov/pictures/item/ncl2004000962/PP/

    Is this the one you were thinking of?

  31. CreativKraft (2 months ago | reply)

    This photo could have been taken today as well! So let us provide that every child can be "child", can play, go to school, develop it´s talents and creativity, ... F.e. by buying Fairtrade-products, donating, giving support and help for selfhelp to poor families in so-called 3rd world countries. Change your consuming attitudes and think about, if you really "need" a smartphone ... !

keyboard shortcuts: ← previous photo → next photo L view in light box F favorite < scroll film strip left > scroll film strip right ? show all shortcuts