Author’s Chair Susan Burton ELED 310

Using the photographer's work throughout, Freedman provides a documentary account of child labor in America during the early 1900’s and the role Lewis Hine played in the crusade against it. He offers a look at the man behind the camera, his involvement with the National Child Labor Committee, and the dangers he faced trying to document unjust labor conditions. “ Manuel is five years old but big for his age. When the whistle blows at 3 O’clock in the morning, he pulls on his clothes and hurries to the shrimp an oyster cannery where he spends the day peeling the shells off iced shrimp. He has been working as a shrimp-picker since he was four. “

Yes, absolutely! Photographer and journalist, Lewis Hine reports on child labor during the Industrial Revolution by using photographs and documentation from his journals which serves as substantial evidence and convincing dialog of the immoral and unethical child labor laws in our country in the early 1900’s.

Yes, I believe the historical interpretation is sound because although many authorities did not believe Hines’ reports about the problems of child labor, he eventually was able to prove the unfair treatment child wagers were experiencing which changed societies views about child labor and changed our laws today. By keeping a journal and writing descriptive captions on each photograph and presenting them to the National Child Labor Committee, Hines fought to change laws in our society and protect young children from this injustice.

The voices of other ethnic groups such as: African Americans, Hispanics and the parents of the child laborers. Hines explained that each photo spoke for itself, so maybe there was no need to report from other voices.

Yes, the book is an excellent source of reference to understanding how our present is connected to the past, and how we can make comparisons and infer as to how laws can be changed by ordinary people to protect those who cannot defend themselves.

Russell Freedman graduated from the university of California at Berkeley. He worked as a reporter and editor for the Associated Press, and later as a publicist for several network television shows. He has been a full time writer and author of over forty nonfiction books on subjects ranging from animal behavior to American history.

Lewis Hine provides us with factual accounts through the photographers lens and has written accurate details and documentation in a journal and on every photograph. His work was used as evidence in newspapers and presented to the National Child Labor Committee. The book is categorized as a non-fiction book.

I recommend this book as a read aloud and attention grabber because it can be used as a reference for a classroom discussion on Child Labor or for an historical research project. The photographs throughout the book are useful for a mini lesson on analyzing photographs as primary sources. The book could be used as an example for a social action project in the community, because it contains historical content noting how reformers and ordinary people successfully changed laws in our society.