Sunday, June 1, 2008

Drought Farmers

This photograph was taken in 1936 during the dust bowl. It shows farmers in town discussing the situation. Lack of rain prevented planting or harvesting of crops. The picture was taken by Dorothea Lange, who took many captivating pictures of the dust bowl while working for the FSA.

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2 comments:

  1. I love this blog! Please, don't stop writing! :)

    Bye!

    Ranze

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  2. I love this picture! The story behind it makes it all the more heart breaking. Here is a quote from "Dorothea Lange" by Mark Durde:

    "Damaged Child, Shackertown, Elm Grove, Oklahoma.

    Lange is generally noted for her empathetic engagement with those she photographed. Ralph Gibson, who worked as Lange's assistant in the early 1960s, offers an interesting anecdote concerning this picture. When looking at the photograph, prior to making another print of it, some thirty years after she had taken it, Lange broke down in tears, telling him of how this retarded girl was abused and made an outcast."

    Shorpy, another wonderful blog full of excellent old photographs, has another photograph of her with her family.

    -Marianne

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