Migrant Mother by Don Nardo

Received from: netGalley

Once again, Goodreads does not have a summary for this book available so you'll just have to read mine! :)

This is now the second book that I've read in relation to photographs shaping different aspects of history.  This particular one was in regards to the Great Depresssion.  I'm sure we all know about the Great Depression and how horrible times were for many families.  However, have you seen the picture located above before?  It looked familiar to me when I saw it, but I couldn't place where it was from.

Let's start by saying that this book is about 6 pictures that Dorothea Lange took in 1936 at a migrant workers' camp.  Most notably is the picture from above entitled Migrant Mother.  Lange tooks these pictures in hopes of relieving the suffering migrant workers were experiencing.  She had hoped that the government would step in and provide food to these starving individuals, which did happen...thank goodness!

Of course, not everyone was appreciative of the attention this photo received.  Thompson, the women in the photo, regretted having had agreed to this photo being taken.  She was told she would receive a copy, which she never did.  She never received any type of compensation for this photo because Lange was employed by the Federal Government which meant this photo was considered public domain.  She didn't appreciate being thought of as poor and homeless, although at the time that is what she was.

I enjoyed reading this short book and learning more about this iconic photograph from that time period.  It was while reading that I found I remember this photograph from the 1998 stamp which the U.S. Postal Service released.  I also want to point out that this photo is one of the most requested in the Library of Congress' collection of photographs.  Lange was inducted into the CA Hall of Fame in 2008 for this collection.  Learning more about the original history of photographs from the past is great.  It helps us remember the true meaning and reason of why that photo was taken.

Once again, my only complaint is the formatting on my Kindle which I believe is due to the file being a pdf.  I do not believe it has been specifically formatted, but the content is still there and enjoyable.