Children of the Depression

Some of the most famous of the Farm Security Administration photographers capture the spirit and grit of children in poignant images of their lives at work, at play, at school, and at home during the Great Depression. This book is a collection of photographs of children taken during the Great Depression by some of the most famous photographers of the Farm Security Administration. Spanning the period from 1930-1945, images by FSA photographers such as Dorothea Lange, Marion Post Wolcott, Arthur Rothstein, and John Vachon capture the spirit of these children in many aspects of their lives. The photos represent children of diverse social strata and ethnicity and are located in all regions of the country. At the same time they communicate sameness in how children approach economic adversity by improvisation and socialisation. Although the graphics, 120-150 in all, are the defining feature of the book, compelling quotes transcribed by social workers of the era are interspersed throughout. The black and white images are arranged categorically; each chapter depicting a specific element of their daily lives. While the book will appeal to lovers of great photography, it may also serve as graphic representation for post baby-boomers of what might have happened in the lives of parents and grandparents to clarify their values and aspirations.