“Breaker Boys” is one of the most poignant photographs captured by Lewis Hine, a sociologist and photographer whose work was instrumental in exposing child labor abuses in the early 20th century.
The image depicts a group of young boys working in a Pennsylvania coal mine, their faces covered in soot, and their expressions reflecting exhaustion far beyond their years. This photograph became a powerful symbol of the exploitation of child labor in industrial America and played a critical role in the labor reform movement.
The United States in 1910 was experiencing rapid industrialization. Factories, coal mines, and mills demanded cheap labor, and children were often employed under harsh and unsafe conditions. Child labor was widespread, with an estimated 2 million children under the age of 16 working in grueling jobs.
Efforts to pass child labor laws were met with resistance from industries that profited from inexpensive labor. Social reformers like Lewis Hine used photography as a tool to expose these injustices, sparking outrage and driving legislative change.
Hine’s photograph was widely distributed through reports, magazines, and exhibits by the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), an organization dedicated to ending child labor. The image became a cornerstone of their advocacy, shocking the public and galvanizing support for labor reforms.
Photographer: Lewis Hine
Date: 1910
Location: Coal breakers in South Pittston, Pennsylvania
Lewis Hine captured “Breaker Boys” during one of his assignments for the NCLC. The photograph shows a group of boys, some as young as 8 years old, working in a coal breaker, where they sorted coal by hand while inhaling coal dust in hazardous conditions.
The boys worked 10-12 hour days for meager wages, often suffering injuries from the sharp coal and machinery. Hine’s image highlighted the toll such labor took on their physical and mental health.
To gain access to these worksites, Hine often disguised himself as a salesman, fire inspector, or clergyman, as employers were wary of journalists exposing their practices. His bravery in capturing these conditions ensured that the plight of child laborers could not be ignored.
The photograph, along with Hine’s broader body of work, had a profound impact on public opinion and policy. It contributed directly to the passage of child labor laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which set minimum age requirements and restricted the working hours of minors.
“Breaker Boys” remains a haunting reminder of the cost of industrial progress and the resilience of children forced into unimaginable circumstances. It also exemplifies the power of photography as a tool for social change.
Full Name: Lewis Wickes Hine
Birth: September 26, 1874, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA
Death: November 3, 1940, in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, USA
Lewis Hine began his career as a teacher before turning to photography as a means to document and advocate for social justice. Working for the NCLC, he traveled across the United States to photograph children in mills, factories, fields, and mines.
Hine’s work brought humanity to the statistics of child labor and helped create lasting change. His photographs, including “Breaker Boys,” remain some of the most powerful visual documents of the Progressive Era. Today, he is remembered not only as a pioneering photojournalist but as a tireless advocate for human rights.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Camera Used: Hine used a large-format Graflex camera, a bulky and conspicuous piece of equipment. His ability to work covertly while capturing such impactful images speaks to his ingenuity and determination.
• Title Origins: The term “breaker boys” refers to the young workers who separated coal from impurities in a coal breaker. This dangerous job exposed them to lung diseases and severe injuries.
• Social Impact: Employers initially dismissed Hine’s work as exaggerated or staged. However, the sheer volume and authenticity of his photographs silenced critics and forced the public to confront the realities of child labor.