Lewis Wickes Hine

American, 1874 - 1940

Sociologist and photographer Lewis Hine documented injustice and promoted social change in the United States. Hine’s photographs of children working in factories and mines were instrumental in triggering child labor laws during the Industrial Revolution.

Hine was born in 1874 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. In 1905, he began documenting the experiences of immigrants entering the United States through Ellis Island, just outside New York City. Hine later traveled throughout the US, photographing working-class children and families for the National Child Labor Committee.

Hine’s empathetic portraits captured the brutal working conditions of the period and helped spur federal regulations. Thanks to his work, Congress passed the Keating-Owens Act of 1916, establishing minimum age requirements for children working in mines and factories. Hine died in 1940 at age 66.

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Lewis Wickes Hine, Climbing into America, 1905, printed 1930s, gelatin silver print, Gift of Leslie and Judith Schreyer and Gabrielle Schreyer-Hoffman, 2024.179.1

Climbing into America

Lewis Wickes Hine · 1905, printed 1930s · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2024.179.1

This black-and-white photograph shows a group of men in dark shirts with dark, wide-brimmed hats. Everyone is gathered outdoors near some pointed gray tents, and they appear to be in a loose circle, holding a tarp or cloth stretched out between them. One man appears to float in the air above the group, his body horizontal, facing the right. The men below him are all smiling widely, some appearing to laugh. In the bottom left corner, one man looks back over his shoulder at us, a white cigarette in his mouth. Most of the men appear to have light skin, although some are in shadow. The sky behind the tents and floating man is bright white.
Lewis Wickes Hine, Soldier Thrown in Air, 1917, gelatin silver print, Patrons' Permanent Fund, 1995.36.90

Soldier Thrown in Air

Lewis Wickes Hine · 1917 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  1995.36.90

Lewis Wickes Hine, Messenger boy working for Mackay Telegraph Company, September 1913, gelatin silver print, Gift of Maurizia Grossman in memory of Sheldon Grossman, 2025.107.2

Messenger boy working for Mackay Telegraph Company

Lewis Wickes Hine · September 1913 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2025.107.2

Lewis Wickes Hine, Title from caption on object: "Read All About It!", April 1912, gelatin silver print, Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon, 2018.177.277

Title from caption on object: "Read All About It!"

Lewis Wickes Hine · April 1912 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2018.177.277

Lewis Wickes Hine, Mrs. Lucy Libertine and family, December 1911, gelatin silver print, Gift of Maurizia Grossman in memory of Sheldon Grossman, 2025.107.3

Mrs. Lucy Libertine and family

Lewis Wickes Hine · December 1911 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2025.107.3

The image shows a group of miners outside the entrance of a mine. The men's full bodies are visible, with some standing and others crouching or leaning. They wear work attire typical of miners, including dark, heavy clothing suitable for labor in the mine, with some having soot on their faces, indicating their profession. Their heads are adorned with hats, some with lamps attached. Several of the men are holding metal lunch pails. The background of the image consists of a wooden structure, presumably the entrance to the mine, with a metal rail track leading into the depths. Steam or smoke is visible in the background. On the sides, there are wooden barriers that partially obstruct the view inside the mine.
Lewis Wickes Hine, At the Close of the Day, Pennsylvania, January 7, 1911, gelatin silver print, Patrons' Permanent Fund, 2018.145.9

At the Close of the Day, Pennsylvania

Lewis Wickes Hine · January 7, 1911 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2018.145.9

This sepia-toned photograph depicts a young girl standing next to a piece of machinery in an industrial setting. The girl has pale skin and dark hair that is tied up behind her head, and she looks out at us with large eyes and a neutral expression. She is wearing a plaid apron over a patterned dress with rolled-up sleeves, and her feet are bare and dirty. She has one of her arms bent behind her, resting casually on the large machine, which is full of spindles and spools loaded with white thread. Debris is scattered on the dark wooden floor.
Lewis Wickes Hine, Addie Card, 12 years old. Spinner in cotton mill, North Pownal, Vermont, 1910, gelatin silver print, Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, 2014.164.1

Addie Card, 12 years old. Spinner in cotton mill, North Pownal, Vermont

Lewis Wickes Hine · 1910 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2014.164.1

Three boys are standing against a textured wall, with their full bodies visible. The boys are positioned side by side; the taller boy in the center stands slightly behind the two shorter boys, who are on either side of him. The boys have short hair peeking out from under their caps. They are wearing similar attire, including jackets, knee-length trousers, long socks, and sturdy boots. Each of the boys is holding newspapers under their arms. The boy in the middle wears a double-breasted coat with a pattern, while the others wear single-layered jackets. There is minimal jewelry visible. The background is a plain wall that appears to be part of a building, and the ground is covered with uneven stone slabs that have some dark stains. In the periphery, a partial view of other individuals can be seen, but the focus remains on the three boys.
Lewis Wickes Hine, John Pento, 14 years old, Daniel and Angelo Pento, 7 years old, selling newspapers, Hartford, Connecticut, March 1909, gelatin silver print, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Harry H. Lunn, Jr., through Graphics International Ltd.), 2015.19.4165

John Pento, 14 years old, Daniel and Angelo Pento, 7 years old, selling newspapers, Hartford, Connecticut

Lewis Wickes Hine · March 1909 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4165

The image shows a young boy standing upright and facing slightly to the right. His facial features include a determined expression with lips pressed together, and he has short, slightly tousled hair peeking out from underneath a cap. He is wearing a dark jacket and has a bundle of newspapers carried in a sling over his shoulder. The background is blurred, with the silhouette of a person in dark clothing walking and some indistinct buildings visible.
Lewis Wickes Hine, Tony Casale, "Bologna," 11 years old been selling newspapers for 4 years, Hartford, Connecticut, March 1909, March 1909, gelatin silver print, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Harry H. Lunn, Jr., through Graphics International Ltd.), 2015.19.4166

Tony Casale, "Bologna," 11 years old been selling newspapers for 4 years, Hartford, Connecticut, March 1909

Lewis Wickes Hine · March 1909 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4166

The image depicts six young boys standing in front of a building. Most of the boys wear newsboy caps and hold stacks of newspapers. They are dressed in coats, long pants, and boots. The background shows a stone wall with windows and a sign that reads "Spitting on the floor forbidden by order of the Board of Health."
Lewis Wickes Hine, 8:30 P.M. Group of newsboys selling at the depot, Hartford, Connecticut. Smallest boy 11 years old., March 1909, gelatin silver print, Gift of Fern M. Schad, 2018.206.13

8:30 P.M. Group of newsboys selling at the depot, Hartford, Connecticut. Smallest boy 11 years old.

Lewis Wickes Hine · March 1909 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2018.206.13

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