Photos: What working life looked like for kids on the first Labor Day

Lewis Hine’s photography helped end child labor

“Breaker boys working in Ewen Breaker of Pennsylvania Coal Co. Location: South Pittston, Pennsylvania.”

The American labor movement was in full swing by the time Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1896. Support for the eight-hour workday was growing and unions were gaining political clout. Yet hiring children was still an easy choice for employers. Youngsters worked for a fraction of what their parents earned and were less likely to strike. Between 1890 and 1910, the number of American kids pulling wages jumped from 1.5 to 2 million.

It was around this time that documentary photographer Lewis Hine began investigating the lives of working children. Using a series of disguises—fire inspector and bible salesman among them—Hine photographed working conditions in coal mines, cotton mills, fisheries and on city streets, where he encountered kids employed as “newsies” and “bootblacks”.

Many then considered work good for kids, provided it developed useful skills and wasn’t overly exploitative. Immigrant families in particular relied on the income earned by children. But Hine’s images and detailed reporting exposed widespread abuse. His work inspired congressional legislation that would begin combatting a system that had little regard for children’s health or safety. By 1920, child labor had begun to decline.

Photographs and captions by Lewis Hine, made available by the Library of Congress.

John Howell, an Indianapolis newsboy, makes $.75 some days. Begins at 6 a.m., Sundays.

Jewel and Harold Walker, 6 and 5 years old, pick 20 to 25 pounds of cotton a day. Father said: “I promised em a little wagon if they’d pick steady, and now they have half a bagful in just a little while.” Location: Comanche County, Oklahoma.

Vance, a Trapper Boy, 15 years old. Has trapped for several years in a West Virginia. Coal mine. $.75 a day for 10 hours work. All he does is to open and shut this door: most of the time he sits here idle, waiting for the cars to come. On account of the intense darkness in the mine, the hieroglyphics on the door were not visible until plate was developed.

1: Young Driver in Mine: Had been driving one year. (7 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Daily) Location: Brown, West Virginia. 2: Tipple Boy, Turkey Knob Mine, Macdonald, West Virginia.”

Main entrance, Gary Mine. Trapper boy in center. Going to work 7 A.M. will be underground until 5:30 P.M. Trappers are paid $1 per day. Location: West Virginia.

A typical spinner. Lancaster Cotton Mills, South Carolina.

Group of Breaker Boys in #9 Breaker, Hughestown Borough, Pennsylvania Coal Co. Smallest boy is Angelo Ross.

A young oyster fisher. Others smaller employed in busy season. Apalachicola, Florida. Randsey Summerford says he starts out at 4 A.M. one day, is out all night in the little oyster boat and back next day some time. Gets a share of the proceeds. Said he was 16 years old and been at it 4 years. Lives in Georgia and is here 6 months a year.

Manuel, the young shrimp-picker, five years old, and a mountain of child-labor oyster shells behind him. He worked last year. Understands not a word of English. Dunbar, Lopez, Dukate Company. Location: Biloxi, Mississippi.

Nan de Gallant, 4 Clark St., Eastport, Maine, 9 year old cartoner, Seacoast Canning Co., Factory #2. Packs some with her mother. Mother and two sisters work in factory. One sister has made $7 in one day. During the rush season, the women begin work at 7 a.m., and at times work until midnight. Brother works on boats. The family comes from Perry, Maine, just for the summer months. Work is very irregular. Nan is already a spoiled child.

Marie Costa, Basket Seller, 605 Elm St., Sixth St. Market, Cincinnati. 9 P.M. Had been there since 10 A.M. Sister and friend help her.

Albernesi Family, 126 W. Eagle St. Left to right: Frank Albernesi, 5 years old. Libori Albernesi, 15 years old, Joseph Albernesi, 13 years old. Family goes to country in summer to pick fruit. Location: Buffalo, New York.

1: Four-year-old Mary, who shucks two pots of oysters a day at Dunbar. Tends the baby when not working. The boss said that next year Mary will work steady as the rest of them. The mother is the fastest shucker in the place. Earns $1.50 a day. Works part of the time with her sick baby in her arms. Father works on the dock. Location: Louisiana. 2: 11:30 A.M. Jennie Rizzandi, 9 year old girl, helping mother and father finish garments in a dilapidated tenement, 5 Extra Pl., N.Y.C. They all work until 9 P.M. when busy, and make about $2 to $2.50 a week. Father works on street, when he has work. Jennie was a truant, “I staid home ’cause a lady was comin’.”

Young Cigarmakers in Englehardt & Co., Tampa, Florida. There boys looked under 14. Work was slack and youngsters were not being employed much. Labor told me in busy times many small boys and girls are employed. Youngsters all smoke.

1: Addie Card, anaemic little spinner in North Pownal Cotton Mill. Location: Vermont. 2: Messenger boy working for Mackay Telegraph Company. Said fifteen years old. Exposed to Red Light dangers. Location: Waco, Texas.

Group of Newsboys on Frankfort Street near World Building. Witness, Fred McMurrry. Location: New York.

1: Richards Diercks, Messenger, 305 Montgomery St. And John Sennick, 89 Morris St., Jersey City. The newsboy had sold out at 9:30 P.M. and was on his way home. Location: Jersey City, New Jersey.” 2: Newsgirls. Location: Wilmington, Delaware.

Newsgirls waiting for papers. Largest girl, Alice Goldman has been selling for 4 years. Newsdealer says she uses viler language than the newsboys do. Besie Goldman and Bessie Brownstein are 9 years old and have been selling about one year. All sell until 7:00 or 7:30 P.M. daily. Location: Hartford, Connecticut.

Pin-boys in a Pittsburgh Bowling Alley. They work until late at night.

Louis Pelissier, 29 8th St., 16 year old (May 16, 1916) applicant 2nd grade — deficient mentality. Doesn’t know name of place where he is going to work. Made it out for Small’s mill, they weren’t sure. Had been a sweeper but work was too hard for him. Didn’t know how much he was to get. Worked at Union Mill, $3.27, as a sweeper. Location: Fall River, Massachusetts.

Bootblacks in and around City Hall Park, New York City — July 25, 1924.