Behind the icon, Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses Dorothea Lange's iconic 'Migrant Mother' photograph, capturing the struggles of Florence Owens Thompson during the Great Depression. The image symbolizes the plight of migrant workers and the broader socio-economic challenges of the era. It explores the dual nature of photography as both a document and a fine art, highlighting Lange's empathetic storytelling and the impact of the image on public perception and policy.
Takeaways
- đž 'Migrant Mother' is one of the most iconic images in American history, capturing the essence of the Great Depression era.
- đŸ The Great Depression was triggered by both a financial and agricultural crisis, with overplanting in the Midwest leading to the creation of dust bowls.
- đ© Florence Owens Thompson, the subject of 'Migrant Mother,' was a migrant worker who moved to areas with available work, such as Northern California.
- đŒ The Resettlement Administration, part of the Roosevelt New Deal, commissioned Dorothea Lange to document the plight of migrant workers.
- đ· Lange's photograph tells a personal story alongside the broader economic and political narrative of the time, emphasizing the struggles of the working class.
- đ The image was taken during a moment of hardship for Florence, who was at the pea picker camp due to a freeze that halted work.
- đ¶ The photograph depicts Florence with her children, symbolizing her as a mother bearing the weight of her family's survival during tough times.
- đš Lange's work blurs the line between documentary and fine art, creating an intimate and emotionally impactful narrative.
- đïž The photograph had an immediate impact, leading to aid for the pea pickers and broader recognition of migrant workers' struggles.
- đ 'Migrant Mother' became a universal symbol of the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and migrant labor, resonating with the American public.
- đŁ The story of Florence Owens Thompson is also tied to the historical migration of the Cherokee people, known as the Trail of Tears, adding depth to the image's significance.
Q & A
What is the significance of the photograph 'Migrant Mother' in American history?
-The photograph 'Migrant Mother' by Dorothea Lange is significant as it captures a moment during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, symbolizing the struggles of migrant workers and becoming a powerful emblem of that era.
What were the main causes of the Great Depression mentioned in the script?
-The script mentions a financial crisis and an agricultural crisis as the main causes of the Great Depression. The agricultural crisis was due to overplanting in the Midwest, which led to nonfertile fields and the creation of dust bowls.
Who was Florence Owens Thompson, and what was her role in the context of the photograph?
-Florence Owens Thompson was a migrant worker and the subject of the famous photograph 'Migrant Mother'. She moved to areas where there was work, such as Northern California, and was depicted by Lange during a visit to a pea picker camp.
What was the impact of the Great Depression on the American workforce?
-At its height in 1932, the Great Depression led to 25% of Americans being unemployed, which is a quarter of the workforce at that time.
What is the term 'Okies' mentioned in the script, and why was it derogatory?
-The term 'Okies' referred to migrant workers from Oklahoma and surrounding regions who moved to California during the Dust Bowl. It was a derogatory term used by Californians to describe these workers.
What was the role of the Resettlement Administration and the Farm Security Administration in the context of the script?
-The Resettlement Administration, which later became the Farm Security Administration, was a US government entity that provided support and policies under the Roosevelt New Deal. Dorothea Lange was on assignment by these administrations to document the conditions of migrant workers.
How did the photograph 'Migrant Mother' contribute to the perception and aid of migrant workers during the Depression?
-The photograph 'Migrant Mother' was reproduced in newspapers and helped to raise awareness about the plight of migrant workers. It led to immediate aid for the pea pickers who were on the brink of starvation and contributed to the social programs being put into place as a social safety net.
What is the debate surrounding the identity of photography as presented in the script?
-The script presents a debate on whether photography is solely a document of reality or if it can also be considered fine art. It suggests that photography can be both, as it can capture truth while also creating a narrative or emotional impact.
What was Dorothea Lange's assignment directive from Roy Stryker, and how did it influence her work?
-Roy Stryker assigned Dorothea Lange broad topics such as cooking, sleeping, praying, and socializing to document. This directive allowed her to capture intimate and emotionally moving images that told a story and could be considered both documents and fine art.
How did Dorothea Lange's personal background and experiences influence her photography?
-Dorothea Lange's personal background, including being a third-generation American and having suffered from polio, likely contributed to her highly developed empathy. This empathy is reflected in her photographs, such as 'Migrant Mother', which capture the struggles and humanity of her subjects.
What is the additional historical context provided by the script regarding the subject of 'Migrant Mother'?
-The script provides the context that Florence Owens Thompson, the subject of 'Migrant Mother', was of Cherokee descent. Her birth in Oklahoma is likely due to the forced migration of Cherokees in the 19th century, known as the Trail of Tears, adding a layer of historical complexity to the image.
Outlines
đž The Impact of Dorothea Lange's 'Migrant Mother'
This paragraph delves into the historical context and significance of Dorothea Lange's iconic photograph, 'Migrant Mother,' taken during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl era. It discusses the economic and agricultural crises that led to widespread unemployment and the plight of migrant workers, particularly those from the Midwest forced to move westward, known derogatorily as 'Okies.' The narrative focuses on Florence Owens Thompson, the subject of the photograph, who represents the struggles of migrant workers during this period. The paragraph also touches on the role of the Resettlement Administration and the Farm Security Administration in documenting and addressing the issues of the time, as well as the broader implications of Lange's work in both documenting history and creating art that evokes empathy and action.
đ The Enduring Legacy and Symbolism of 'Migrant Mother'
The second paragraph explores the lasting impact of Lange's 'Migrant Mother' as a universal symbol of the hardships faced by migrant laborers during the Great Depression. It highlights the personal background of Dorothea Lange, including her education and personal struggles with polio, which may have contributed to her deep empathy for her subjects. The discussion extends to the broader historical context, linking the migrations of the 1930s to the earlier forced migration of Native Americans, such as the Cherokee people, during the Trail of Tears in the 19th century. The paragraph concludes by pondering how the perception of the image might differ if it were titled differently, suggesting the importance of narrative and context in shaping our understanding of historical events and images.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄLACMA Study Center
đĄDorothea Lange
đĄGreat Depression
đĄDust Bowl
đĄMigrant Worker
đĄOkies
đĄResettlement Administration
đĄNew Deal
đĄFine Art
đĄEmpathy
đĄTrail of Tears
Highlights
The LACMA Study Center hosts the famous photograph 'Migrant Mother' by Dorothea Lange, depicting the struggles during the Great Depression.
The Great Depression was caused by both a financial and agricultural crisis, leading to the creation of dust bowls and impacting the farming community.
Florence Owens Thompson, the subject of 'Migrant Mother,' was a migrant worker in Northern California during the pea picking season.
In 1932, 25% of Americans were unemployed, highlighting the severity of the economic downturn.
The term 'Okies' was derogatorily used for migrant workers from Oklahoma and surrounding areas who moved to California during the Dust Bowl.
Dorothea Lange was on assignment by the Resettlement Administration, later known as the Farm Security Administration, part of Roosevelt's New Deal policies.
The photograph captures both a larger economic and political story and a deeply personal biographical narrative.
The Farm Security Administration records provide insights into the photo shoot's process and Lange's empathetic storytelling.
Photography's role in conveying truth and creating narratives is discussed, with Lange's work as an example.
The image of 'Migrant Mother' shows Florence gazing into the distance with two children by her side, evoking empathy.
A third child, a baby, is barely visible in the photograph, further emphasizing Florence's role as a mother providing for her family.
The Depression's impact on cities was visible through food lines and strikes, but the plight of migrant workers was less known.
The photograph raises the question of whether photography can document reality and be considered fine art.
Lange's close lens creates an intimate portrayal of Florence, evoking empathy and highlighting the need for social programs during the Depression.
The photograph was reproduced in newspapers, leading to immediate aid for the pea pickers on the brink of starvation.
The image became ubiquitous, symbolizing the struggles of the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and migrant labor.
Dorothea Lange's personal background, including her battle with polio, may have informed her empathetic approach to photography.
The subject, Florence Owens Thompson, was of Cherokee descent, linking the photograph to the historical forced migration of the Trail of Tears.
The anonymity of the title 'Migrant Mother' may have influenced how the image was perceived and its widespread impact.
Transcripts
(gentle music)
- [Steven] We're in the LACMA Study Center
for Photography and Works on Paper,
looking at one of the most famous images
in American history, Migrant Mother.
This is a photograph that was taken by Dorothea Lange
during the Dust Bowl, during the Depression.
- [Eve] And the Great Depression
was instigated by a financial crisis,
but there was also an agricultural crisis,
which was the overplanting that happened
in the Midwest, and those fields became nonfertile,
and dust bowls were created.
So that entire farming community was at risk,
simultaneous to the rest of the United States
seriously spiraling because of the stock market crash.
Florence Owens Thompson was a migrant worker,
which meant, as it does today,
that she moved to areas where the picking was.
In this case, in Northern California,
when Dorothea Lange was visiting a pea picker camp.
- [Steven] It's hard to overstate the drama of this moment
at its height in 1932, just four years
before this photograph was taken,
25% of Americans were unemployed, 1/4 of the work force.
- [Eve] Many of the migrant workers
that came to California were those
that had to leave the Dust Bowl,
famously referred to as Okies,
because most of them were from Oklahoma
and surrounding regions.
- [Steven] And that was a derogatory term
that was applied to these migrant workers
by people who already lived in California.
- [Eve] They were nearly destitute,
making a trek west, but Florence Owens Thompson came west
with her husband prior to the Dust Bowl.
So when Dorothea and Florence cross paths,
Dorothea Lange is on assignment
by the Resettlement Administration,
which eventually became what is known
as the Farm Security Administration.
Both of those entities were run by the US government,
and it was the Roosevelt New Deal
that put forth many of these new policies.
- [Steven] So we're seeing an overlay of two stories.
A larger economic and political story,
but also a very deeply personal biographical story.
- [Eve] We have available to us
through the Farm Security Administration records
all the iterations of the photo shoot she had
on the fly, on the road, just outside this pea picker camp.
She was lucky to find Florence there,
because there was a freeze overnight,
and Florence was there because she was not working.
But you can see the options that she had
to tell an empathetic tale, a realistic tale.
Any photographic image inherently carries
a wealth of truth to the viewer
that is not necessarily an actual fact.
It's a creation of the photographer's.
So she has waited for that moment,
for Florence to be gazing rather forlornly
into the distance, and the two children huddled by her side.
- [Steven] And if you look closely,
you can just make out a third child,
a baby at her breast.
And so she is literally framed by these children
who depend on her.
- [Eve] During the Depression,
in the cities, it was very obvious
with the food lines and the worker's strikes
that there was a lot of strife,
and everyone was suffering.
What wasn't really known was the migrant worker
and small farming endeavors,
and so the object was to paint a picture and make sure
that they were also taken care of during this time.
- [Steven] So this raises an issue
which is central to the identity of photography.
Does photography document?
And can photography be fine art as well?
- [Eve] I think both.
She obviously could have chosen to have distance.
That would be more of a document,
because you have more context.
What she's chosen to do is create her own narrative,
the story of the caring mother
who is carrying the weight of the world, her many children.
- [Steven] And that close lens, that creates an intimacy
that makes me even more empathetic.
And it's important to remember that the 1930s,
in the first years of the New Deal,
was a moment when people could starve in the United States,
where social programs were just now being put into place
as a kind of social safety net.
- [Eve] So Dorothea Lange is on assignment.
She's been given a directive by Roy Stryker.
He assigned her very broad topics.
Cooking, sleeping, praying, and socializing,
and then you see what she produced.
And that goes to your point about a document
versus a fine art photograph,
and one can be both.
- [Steven] But this is art that was meant
to move us emotionally.
It was meant to rally support for the work
that the government was doing.
And this photograph did have immediate impact.
It was reproduced almost immediately in newspapers
in San Francisco and Sacramento,
and the pea pickers who were on the edge
of starvation were given aid
- [Eve] And then it just became an image
that was everywhere.
We had someone to be empathetic about
that allowed us to feel emotional about the situation,
but yet hopeful.
- [Steven] Dorothea Lange really succeeded.
She was trying to produce an image
that would capture this particular woman,
but would also create a universal symbol,
and she was so successful that it has become the image
that comes to mind first when we think of the Dust Bowl,
when we think of the Great Depression,
when we think of migrant labor.
- [Eve] When we think of America pulling itself
out of troubles, too.
It reminds me also of Dorothea's background,
which is a third generation American.
She was able to go to Columbia in New York
and study photography, but she also had a lot
of personal problems, she suffered from polio.
She has a great quote, when she refers to her ailment,
which left her with a pretty serious limp.
"It formed me, guided me, instructed me,
"helped me, and humiliated me.
"I never have gotten over it,
"and I'm aware of the force and power of it."
- [Steven] It does seem to me that somebody
who've suffered polio might have a kind
of highly developed empathy, and that empathy seems
to have informed photographs like this.
This image has come to represent migratory labor
in the United States during the Depression,
but the story is actually
a little more complicated than that.
The subject of this photograph was at the heart
of a larger story of migration.
She was Cherokee.
And the reason that she had been born in Oklahoma
is most likely because of the forced migration
of Cherokees from the Southeastern United States
early in the 19th century
into what was then known as Indian Territory,
this we call the Trail of Tears.
And so, although this photograph is understood
to represent the migrations of the 1930s,
it also represents the migrations of the 1830s.
- [Eve] It's to be questioned
how this would have been perceived
if the title of this image was not as anonymous
as Migrant Mother.
(gentle music)
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