Dorothea Lange

Dorothea Lange (May 26, 1895 – June 11, 1965) was an American documentary photographer and photojournalist best remembered for her work during the Great Depression. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, she established herself as a portrait photographer in San Francisco before transitioning to documentary work. Her most famous image, 'Migrant Mother' (1936), depicts a destitute pea picker and her children, becoming an enduring symbol of American hardship during the 1930s. Working for the Farm Security Administration, Lange captured thousands of photographs documenting rural poverty and the human cost of economic collapse. Her work challenged viewers to confront social injustice and remains foundational to American photojournalism. After World War II, she continued documenting social issues globally, including Japanese American internment camps. Lange's legacy extends beyond photography into social activism; her images helped shape public policy and remain powerful tools for understanding American history. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and her work has been exhibited in major museums worldwide.