Dorothea Lange

Dorothea Lange (May 26, 1895 – June 11, 1965) was an influential American documentary photographer and photojournalist whose work shaped the visual narrative of the Great Depression and American labor struggles. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Lange established herself as a portrait photographer in San Francisco before transitioning to documentary work. During the 1930s, she worked for the U.S. Farm Security Administration, producing haunting images of migrant workers, rural poverty, and displacement that became emblematic of Depression-era America. Her most famous photograph, 'Migrant Mother' (1936), depicts a weathered woman with her children and has become an iconic symbol of American hardship and resilience. Lange's innovative use of the camera as a tool for social documentation helped establish photojournalism as a legitimate art form and advocacy medium. Her commitment to photographing marginalized communities with dignity and humanity influenced generations of documentarians. In her later years, she continued documenting social issues, including Japanese American internment during World War II, leaving a legacy that demonstrates photography's power to witness and critique social injustice.