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ANNOUNCING MY EXHIBIT FOR THE LAWRENCE (MASS) HISTORY CENTER. CLICK FOR DETAILS
"Donnie Cole," my song inspired by a child laborer
Follow my path as I track down the Dallas "newsies"
My visit to Eastport, Maine, 99 years after Lewis Hine took pictures of cannery workers there
Links and resources about Lewis Hine and child labor
Information about my presentations at schools and museums, and updates on new events
Story about Lewis Hine Project in Yankee Magazine (March/April 2011 issue)
Interview about Lewis Hine Project on "Here and Now," a public radio broadcast (May 2011)
Interview about Lewis Hine Project on Vermont Public Radio (November 2007)
Story about Lewis Hine Project on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" (February 2007)
"The Mill Children" exhibit, inspired by Lewis Hine's visit to North Adams, Mass. in 1911
"You cannot imagine what it means to us, after all these years, to learn of this previously unknown and
very important part of our father's story as a young boy. Not only has it brought his memory to the foreground but also that
of our Aunt Julia and has reunited us as a family. We cannot thank you enough for this." -Madeline Strasser,
daughter of Winchendon child laborer Elias Joseph
"I have just finished reading
your story of my grandmother, and I have tears in my eyes....not sure if they are for her, my grandfather and my father, as
much as they are for all of the children of that time. Thank you for your interest in these children, and for making the rest
of us aware of their lives." -Lynne Hatt, granddaughter of sardine cannery worker Minnie Thomas
"Thank you for the fantastic
story about Uncle Ray. You unearthed things about him that even our family didn't know. And now I know things about my mother's
childhood that she has never shared with me. It brought tears to my eyes. I can't thank you enough." -Mary
Beth Rosebrough, great-niece of newsboy Raymond Klose
"My Uncle Lon was not a
man who made a great impact. He was just an ordinary man. I find it really exciting that, in a way, because of your story
about him, he has made an impact." -Dorothy Cheatham, niece of child laborer Lonnie Cole.
"Just wanted to say thank
you. My father's family is from Coal Township, Pennsylvania. My grandmother dropped out of school in 1929 when she was 12
years old to work in the factories and mills to help put food on the table. In the 1950s, at the age of 14, my father moved
to a farm. He attended school and worked on the farm full time and during school breaks, and remembers working up to 18 hours
a day. His money was sent home to my grandmother to help put food on the table. Pictures say a thousand words and Lewis Hine's
photographs helped make a difference in the early 1900s. His photographs are haunting, very emotional and wrenching But your
going back and finding the stories behind the faces of these young children and their families answers the questions everyone
asks when they see Hine's pictures. You capture the heart and soul of these children and how they were human and grew up and
did what they had to do. Hine and Dorothea Lange are two of my favorite photographers, and all of their pictures that captured
the soul of our country during that era always remind me of what I have and how blessed I am. They also leave me wondering
how these people fared and where they ended up. You've taken the time and gone back and found the answers on some of these,
and for that I thank you." -Tracy Donnelly
"I have spent several hours
each of the last few days, lost in the history you've brought to life. I'm afraid I cannot adequately express my admiration
for the time and dedication you have devoted to this project. I hope you continue to rescue the lost and give them the importance
they never had in life." -Laura O'Hara
"I spent
a good part of today reading your work, and I must say that what you have done is amazing. I have seen Mr. Hine's work in
the past, and have often wondered about the children in the photos. Giving them a life beyond the day the photos were taken
is a wonderful tribute to both Mr. Hine and to each of the children you were able to trace." -Cathy Elsbernd
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| Lewis Wickes Hine, courtesy of George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film. |
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| Ouleout Valley Cemetery, Franklin, New York. Courtesy of FindAGrave.com. |
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| Published Nov 4, 1940, in the Oshkosh Northwestern, his hometown newspaper. Found on Ancestry.com. |
I have made dozens of presentations
about my Lewis Hine Project to schools, colleges, libraries, museums, and other audiences. I show many of the Hine photos,
some of the family photos that the descendants have provided to me, tell the stories of the children, and talk about the search
process. If you are interested in hearing and seeing my work in person, I am available. I live in Florence, Massachusetts,
which is a village in Northampton. Please email me at joe@sevensteeples.com.
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