In the 1930's our country, as well as the rest of the world, was struggling to survive. The world had entered an era that we all know to be the Great Depression. The Great Depression was the result of a culmination of the stock market crash on Wall Street, World War 1, failures in business, overproduction of crops, and much more.Millions of people were left without jobs, food, homes, or even any hope of moving on in life. Work was coveted, food was rationed, and shanty towns were thrown together outside of cities. These shanty towns were composed of thousands of makeshift tents and little lean-tos that would house families.In the shanty towns, food was scarce and many people slept under old newspapers for warmth. The government knew that action was needed if any order in the country was to be restored. The citizens of the country needed newfound inspiration and a symbol for hope. The Farm Security Administration (FSA) turned to one particular person for the job. Dorothea Lange was set to the task of capturing the hardship and hope on film for the American people.Dorothy Lange was born on May 26, 1895 in Hoboken New Jersey with the last name of Nutzhorn. When Dorothea was just seven years-old, she was struck with polio. Treatment was not available during this time, and she was left with a permanent limp on her weakened right leg. When she was twelve, her father abandoned Dorothea and her mother. Dorothea dropped her last name and took up her mother’s maiden name, Lange.Dorothy moved to New York where she studied photography. Dorothea then moved to San Francisco and started her own studio and portrait shop. Dorothea had great success with her studio and within a few years married a man by the name of Maynard Dixon. The two had two sons. Dorothea later divorced Maynard and married Paul Taylor who was the head Professor of Economics at theUniversity of California.During the Great Depression, Dorothea began photographing the newfound poverty, crime, and struggles that Americans were now facing. Her graphic and meaningful pictures caught many people by surprise and she was beginning to be recognized throughout the photographic community.Dorothea and Paul were hired by the FSA to document the different aspects of the depression and give people a realistic view of what was really going on. The two (along with a team of photographers) set out to document rural poverty, sharecropping, migrant workers, and shanty towns. Dorothea would take pictuces while Paul would interview people and put together data for the FSA.Dorothea provided much-need information to the FSA that would aide them in their attempts to help rebuild society. Dorothea was very good with people. People recognized her as someone who knew the hardships of life, and they felt comfortable around her.Dorothea was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship for excellence in photography, a very prestigious award. During the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dorothea was need by the military for military documentation. Dorothea captured many scenes of violence and discretion.Dorothea even tookmany pictures of the detaining of Japanese Americans who were all rounded up and sent to relocation camps for the duration of the war. Many of these photos were so graphic and true that the military had to lock many of them up for years. Those photogrpahs sent a dark message that the military would take drastic action to keep Americans safe, even if it meant detaining civilians without proper charge.Dorothea died on October 11, 1965. She suffered from esophogal canceer, as well as post polio syndrome, and other ailments. Dorothea Lange will always be remembered in America as a strong supporter of the common people. With her help, many Americans were better aided and many more were introduced to their fellow man’s struggle.I think that Dorothea Lange had a very interesting life and job. I don’t think that I would mind raoming the country looking for good photos that would help people distinguish the wrongs in society.Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_Langehttp://americanswhotellthetruth.org/pgs/portraits/Dorothea_Lange.phphttp://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/128_migm.html
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