Incredible Photos of Life During the Great Depression Taken by Lewis Hine

Lewis Wickes Hine (September 26, 1874 Oshkosh, Wisconsin– November 3, 1940) was an American sociologist and photographer. Hine used his camera as a tool for social reform.

During the Great Depression, Hine worked for the American Red Cross and documented drought relief in the South and life in the mountains of eastern Tennassee for the Tennessee Valley Authority. Hine also served as cheif photographer for the Works Progress Administration National Research Project.

Over 1200 Lewis Hine photos are held in the collections of the National Archives. And Here are some of them.

The Glandon family around the fireplace in their home at Bridges Chapel near Loydston, Tennessee. Glandon's wife plays both the guitar and the organ, October 1933

Family group of Fletcher Carden, Route #1, Andersonville, Tennessee, a night-watchman at the bunkhouses at Norris Dam, November 1933

A little country church, Sharps Station M.E. Church, near Loyston, Tennessee. This church will be submerged by the waters of the Norris Dam reservoir, October 1933

Boiling down sorghum at the Stooksberry homestead near Andersonville, Tennessee, October 1933

Boy plowing potato field with a mule and bull-tongue plow on steep slope on J. W. Melton farm on Andersonville, Tennessee, road, October 1933

Curtis Stiner operating a circular saw at the Norris Dam site, Tennessee, October 1933

Exterior view of Oakdale School near Loyston, Tennessee. This immediate region will be flooded when the Norris Dam Reservoir fills, October 1933

Family group on farm near Andersonville, Tennessee. This family owns two acres and has always lived in the vicinity, October 1933

Grinding sorghum cane at the Stooksberry homestead near Andersonville, Tennessee, October 1933

Interior of the home of Harriet Hankins at the site of the planned community near Norris Dam. Harriet Hankins is 73 years old, October 1933

Interior of the home of Mrs. Jacob Stooksbury. This homestead is in the region which will be inundated by the waters of the Norris Dam reservoir, Tennessee, November 1933

Interior view of Oakdale School near Loyston, Tennessee. From 30 to 40 pupils usually attend, October 1933

Interior view of Sharps Station M.E. Church near Loyston, Tennessee. Reverend Lovelace and some children from an orphanage conduct the Sunday afternoon service, October 1933

Mr. J. W. Melton and his wife by the fireplace getting ready for supper. The Melton homestead is on the Andersonville, Tennessee, road, October 1933

Mrs. Sarah J. Wilson has lived ninety-one years on a farm near Bulls Gap, Tennessee. She is still very active and resourceful, October 1933

Mrs. Wallace dipping water from spring on farm near Norris townsite recently purchased by the TVA for experimental purposes, Tennessee, November 1933

Oscar Cloud and family, living in the Norris townsite area. Cloud has been a quarryman and farmer. His oldest son is with the CCC, November 1933

Part of the family of Hugh Noe, a renter on a farm near Andersonville, Tennessee, October 1933

Rear view of the McHaffie homestead at Powell Station, Route #1, Knox County, Tennessee, October 1933

S. J. Barley, Rural Route #2, LaFollette, Tennessee, November 1933

Squatter's home on Andersonville Road, Tennessee. The house is a made-over houseboat, October 1933

Straining the sorghum on the farm of J. W. Stooksberry, Anderson County, Tennessee. This is the primitive way of making molasses, October 1933

Temporary kitchen serving cafeteria at Norris townsite, Tennessee, November 1933

Up-to-date method of making molasses on the farm of Fred Hatmaker. This farm will be under water when the Norris Dam reservoir fills, October 1933

Washday at the Stooksberry homestead near Andersonville, Tennessee, October 1933

Bedroom and living-room in company-owned home of workers in Highland Cotton Mills, High Point, North Carolina. This is one of the best there, 1936

Bedroom and living-room in company-owned home of workers in Highland Cotton Mills, High Point, North Carolina. This is one of the best there, 1936

Homes of furniture workers in High Point, North Carolina - Owned by a real estate company, 1936

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Children of employed miner at Sessa Hill - Ewra Hennar's children, 1936

Living room and 78 year-old silk worker (now retired on $18 a month pension). Lives over Cafe, Paterson, New Jersey, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Children of miners, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Employed bachelor at home in Sessa Hill, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Employed miner's family - Sessa Hill - This picture was taken at the natural supper hour, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Interior of the Jero WPA nursery - These children are from unemployed miners' homes, March 1937.

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Interior of the Jero WPA nursery - These children are from unemployed miners' homes, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Johnson family - father unemployed, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Recreation and community activities, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. This building is a part of the abandoned mine buildings of the stranded camp of Jere, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Typical scene of the Shack Community Center activity, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Unemployed bachelor, Jere, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Unemployed miners, March 1937

Scott's Run, West Virginia. Woman gathering coal, March 1937

(Photo © Lewis Hine)