Child Labor in the Textile Industry
In this image, a young girl runs a warping machine at the Loray mill in Gastonia, North Carolina. The Loray Mill was a major producer in the region, earning the city its nickname, “Spindle City.” Hine spotted many young children working at the mill much younger than the ones pictured here. Hine reported the boss carefully avoided them, “and when I tried to get a photo which would include a mite of a boy working at a machine, he was quickly swept out of danger.”
According to Hine, the boss told him, “He isn’t working here, just came in to help a little.” Years of questionable labor practices, including child labor, increased workloads for reduced pay, and dangerous conditions, led Loray Mill workers to strike in 1929. Though their efforts didn’t yield the desired results, it was part of a larger labor movement sweeping southern mills.
