Lewis Hine: The Muckraker with a Camera
Lewis Hine was an American photographer whose pioneering work not only reshaped the art of photography but also played a vital role in reforming American society. Hine is best remembered as a “muckraker” photographer—a term that refers to journalists and reformers who exposed societal ills through their writing, photography, or other media, often prompting significant social and political change. As a muckraker, Hine’s weapon was his camera, and he used it to shine a light on the horrors of child labour, immigrant exploitation, and industrial oppression in the early 20th century United States.
What is a Muckraker?
The term “muckraker” originates from John Bunyan’s 1678 allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress, where a character is depicted as a man with a muckrake, focused on the dirt of the ground and ignoring the celestial crown above him. In the early 20th century, the term was adopted by President Theodore Roosevelt to describe investigative journalists and activists who ‘raked up’ the filth and corruption of society to hold power to account. Instead of focusing on scandals for their own sake, muckrakers like Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, and, of course, Lewis Hine, aimed to bring about reforms by exposing injustice to the wider public.
Hine, however, did not rake through political corruption; instead, he focused his lens on a different kind of dirt—social exploitation, particularly of children.
Early Life and the Roots of Reform
Lewis Wickes Hine was born on September 26, 1874, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He faced personal hardship early in life; after his father’s untimely death in an accident, the young Hine had to work to support his family. Despite his challenges, Hine was determined to obtain an education. He worked hard to save for college and eventually studied sociology at the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and New York University. His academic interest in social reform would shape the course of his career.
Hine initially became a teacher at the Ethical Culture School in New York City, where he encouraged his students to explore photography as a learning tool. It was during this time that he began using his camera to document the thousands of immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, New York’s gateway for newcomers to America. Between 1904 and 1909, Hine captured over 200 photographs of immigrant families, highlighting their struggles and hopes for a new life. This experience made Hine realise the power of photography as a medium for social reform—what we now know as documentary photography.
Exposing Child Labour
Hine’s most notable contribution to muckraking came when he began working for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) in 1908. At the time, child labor was widespread across America, with children as young as five working in mines, factories, and fields. Industrialists relied on their cheap labour to maximise profits, while society turned a blind eye to the dangers and exploitation these children faced.
Hine set out to expose the horrors of child labor in America, travelling from state to state with his camera, often under dangerous conditions. Factory foremen, mine bosses, and mill owners were deeply invested in hiding the reality of child labor from the public eye. Hine frequently had to resort to subterfuge, posing as a Bible salesman, fire inspector, or postcard vendor just to gain entry into these workplaces. His photographs, taken in dimly lit mills, dusty coal mines, and squalid factories, showed children performing physically demanding and hazardous tasks for meagre pay, often sacrificing their health and childhoods.
His images are both haunting and empathetic: small children standing beside dangerous machinery, their faces streaked with dirt; boys crouching in coal mines, their eyes showing a weariness far beyond their years. Hine’s photography, alongside the lobbying efforts of the NCLC, played a significant role in bringing about child labor laws, including the Keating-Owen Act of 1916, which regulated youth employment in certain industries.
Humanising the Immigrant Experience
In addition to his work with child labour, Hine was also known for his compassionate portrayal of immigrants at Ellis Island. At a time when immigrants were often viewed with suspicion or disdain, Hine’s photography sought to humanise them. He captured moments of vulnerability, hope, and resilience, giving a face to the millions of people who arrived in America searching for a better life. His deeply empathetic portraits revealed the dignity of these individuals, even in their most precarious moments.
Documenting Industry and Progress
Hine’s photography wasn’t confined to exploitation; he also celebrated the human spirit in the face of industrial challenges. During the construction of the Empire State Building in the early 1930s, Hine was commissioned to document the workers who risked their lives daily to build what was then the world’s tallest building. The images he produced—of workers balancing on steel beams, suspended high above New York City—are iconic.
To capture these images, Hine took on the same risks as the workers he photographed. He was suspended from a basket 1,000 feet above Fifth Avenue to get the best vantage points. His photographs convey both the peril and pride of the construction workers, contributing to a new genre he called “work portraits”—an attempt to show the dignity and skill involved in industrial labor.
The Later Years: A Struggle for Recognition
Despite his immense contributions to social reform, Hine faced professional struggles later in life. By the 1930s, his style of photography was less in demand. After working for the Red Cross and the Tennessee Valley Authority, he sought to join the prestigious Farm Security Administration (FSA) photography project, but he was repeatedly turned down. As public interest in his work waned, Hine fell into financial hardship. He lost his home, applied for welfare, and, sadly, died in relative obscurity on November 3, 1940.
Today, Lewis Hine is regarded as one of the most important documentary photographers of the 20th century. His work helped to bring about significant reforms in child labor laws, and his empathetic portrayals of immigrants and workers left an indelible mark on American society. His belief in the power of photography as a tool for social change continues to inspire generations of photographers, journalists, and activists.
Hine’s legacy reminds us of the critical role that documentary photography can play in exposing injustice and advocating for reform. As a muckraker, Hine used his camera not merely to document, but to transform—a mission that is as relevant today as it was over a century ago.
In the words of Hine himself, “If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn’t need to lug a camera.” His photographs spoke volumes, and they still do. They are a testament to the power of visual storytelling and a reminder of the profound impact that one individual’s dedication to justice can have on society. Through his lens, Hine exposed the cruel realities of child labour and helped pave the way for a more humane future.