Hine Brought the Problem out of the Shadows
Hine’s photographs illustrated why groups like the National Child Labor Committee were fighting the use of child labor. He humanized the plight of these young workers, putting faces and names to the movement. By the time the Committee was formed in 1904, child labor was being called “child slavery.” While Hine’s photography primarily focused on Caucasian children, child labor wasn’t limited by race, ethnicity, or other demographic details.
The use of child labor extended into every low-income demographic. Business grew wealthy exploiting those who had few ways to fight back against a system that benefited from their ill-paid labor. Hines, however, exposed this practice to a greater audience, and the child labor movement gained momentum in the United States. Labor protests and legislation put restrictions on the problem, although it did not completely end the country’s use of child labor.
