Child Labor in Oklahoma: The Photographs of Lewis Hine, 1916–1917

Photographs

All image captions are notes about the children written by Lewis Hine. These images are part of the archives of the Library of Congress.

A young girl in a cotton field slightly hunched over as she carries a large bag across her shoulders. She peers slightly upward into the camera with a solemn expression.

Callie Campbell, 11 years old, picks 75 to 125 pounds of cotton a day, and totes 50 pounds of it when sack gets full. "No, I don't like it very much." Location: Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma.

A girl looks down picking cotton in a large field. Her long bag trails behind her and no other people or structures are visible.

Norma Lawrence is 10 years old and picks from 100 to 150 pounds of cotton a day. Drags the sack which often hold 50 pounds or more before emptied. Location: Comanche County, Oklahoma.

Three children stand in a cotton field holding large bags. A girl and boy are closer to the camera, and the youngest peers up solemnly from under his cap. He is barefoot.

Johnnie, Carrie and Jim Davenport picking cotton for Mr. J. P. Daws, Route 1, Shawnee. Johnnie picks 75 pounds, Carrie 100 pounds and Jim 150 to 200 pounds a day. Get $1.00 a hundred pounds. No school yet. Mother is a renter; moves about a great deal. Location: Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma.

A very young barefoot boy in a cotton field dragging a very large bag. He looks into the camera with his brows furrowed.

Fred Hill, 3 years old, sometimes picks 20 pounds of cotton a day. Location: Comanche County, Oklahoma.

A young girl sits on a horse, pulling back on the reins. Several cows are in front of her in a large field.

Sarah Crutcher, 12-year-old girl herding cattle. Route 4, c/o S.O. Crutcher. She was out of school (#49 Comanche County) only 2 weeks this year and that was to herd 100 head of cattle for her father, a prosperous farmer. She said: "I didn't like it either." She is doing well in school. Is in Grade 8. Location: Lawton, Oklahoma.

A small boy uses a horse-drawn tiller in an empty field.

Herschel Bonham, Route A, Box 118, an 11-year-old boy cultivating peas. He belongs to a cotton club in school. Father says he can pick 200 pounds of cotton a day. Location: Lawton, Oklahoma.

Two boys in ill-fitting, worn overalls look into the camera. Behind them are mules and a tent-like structure.

A pair of truants, tending their father's mules. Photo taken during school hours, near Oklahoma City. Boys are 9 and 11 yrs. old. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A boy rides a bike down a sidewalk. He looks directly into the camera. No other people are present.

Manley Creasson, 914 W. 6 St. Messenger #6, Mackay Telegraph Co. Says he is 14; school records say 13. Says he has steady job - "Been a messenger for years. Get $15 for 2 weeks' pay." Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A young boy holding a handful of papers outside a storefront. The store has advertisements for Turkish cigars. A man in a suit and tie is walking out of the store.

Sam Pine, 8-year-old truant newsboy, who lives at 717 W. California St. Said: "I was late getting up and don't want to get the rubber tube fo[r] being tardy so I stayed away to-day." Photographed during school hours. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A very young boy stands alone on a sidewalk holding newspapers. The sign next to him reads 'Overholser' at the top. Multiple people and businesses are in the background.

Ernest Chester, 5 years old lives at 624 S. Robinson St. Sells with his older brother Emmet, who is 9 years old. They are up very early. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A young boy looks at the camera and hands a newspaper to a man. They stand on the sidewalk outside a business, and a few other people are in the background.

John Dowers, 7 years old, lives at 108 W. Frisco St. Starts out at 5 a.m. some days. Father is blind and sells newspapers. John is a pretty good beggar. Was seen trying to borrow a dollar from the bank to "get father a watch" (father is blind). Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A small boy hands a newspaper to a man outside a business. There are advertisements for cigars, parcels, and beer. A small bicycle is parked nearby.

Jack Ryan, 6-year-old newsie, who lives at 126 1/2 W. Reno St. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A boy stands outside a building with broken windows. He looks directly into the camera, his hands in his pockets. Suspenders hold up his too-large pants.

Eleven-year-old bakery worker Glenn Dungey. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

One young man raises a sledge hammer over an anvil while another holds something with a clamp on the anvil. Around them are hammers, anvils, and other large equipment.

Boys working at forging. Oklahoma City High School. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

A boy in soot-stained clothes leans over pushing a lone fire-iron into a large furnace. A pile of ash and rubble is at his feet.

Stoking the furnace in the power-house. Pauls Valley Training School. The boy was very proud of his job. Location: Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

Four young men with their backs to the camera, leaned over a long counter making bread.

Making bread. Pauls Valley Training School.
Location: Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

A small group of students and a few adults stand in front of a wooden schoolhouse with large windows. There are no other structures visible.

Scott School #41; Miss Smith, Teacher. Opened September 4th—8 months term. 19 present to-day—should be 60. 20 are enrolled and 16 was the average attendance last month. Teacher expects 60 enrolled by January 1st. School does not settle down until January, and then the year is half gone. Absences due to cotton picking. Raise some grains here and a few of the older ones will be absent for work. Families are continually changing. Many tenants. Location: Comanche County, Oklahoma.

A boy in an apron focuses on pieces of metal type in large typesetters tray.

Learning typesetting. Training School for Deaf Mutes. Location: Sulphur, Oklahoma.

Several young women and look downward as they work on sewing projects. A small dress, quilt block, and other sewn pieces hang on the background. One woman in the back uses a sewing machine.

Sewing and darning. Training School for Deaf Mutes. Location: Sulphur, Oklahoma.