Anaya Nolan
Child labor, or the use of children as workers, has been practiced throughout most of human history, with children often being paid less and seen as less likely to unionize. In the United States, the use of child labor reached its peak during the Industrial Revolution, with children working in dangerous factories for long hours, often missing out on an education. The fight against child labor in the US has been a long and arduous one, with many victories and setbacks. The National Child Labor Committee, formed in 1904, played a significant role in campaigning for tougher state and federal laws against child labor abuses, with photographer Lewis Hine documenting the harsh realities of children at work through powerful images. The Keating-Owen Act, passed in 1916, was the first federal child labor law, outlawing interstate commerce involving goods produced by children. However, it was later declared unconstitutional. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, enacted during the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, is considered the most sweeping federal law restricting child labor and protecting the educational opportunities and safety of youth. While child labor laws have evolved over time, the issue remains prevalent, especially in certain sectors like agriculture, where child farmworkers are often exposed to hazardous working conditions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of first federal child labor law | 1916 |
| Name of first federal child labor law | Keating-Owen Act |
| Year of first federal minimum wage | 1938 |
| Name of federal minimum wage law | Fair Labor Standards Act |
| Year of constitutional amendment authorizing federal child labor legislation | 1924 |
| Organization dedicated to the abolition of child labor | National Child Labor Committee |
| Greatest publicist of the National Child Labor Committee | Lewis W. Hine |
| Photographer for the National Child Labor Committee | Lewis Hine |
| President who opposed the Beveridge bill | Roosevelt |
| President during the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| Photographer who depicted scenes of children working in dangerous situations | Lewis Hines |
| Year when Congress amended the child labor law to include businesses not covered in 1938 | 1949 |
| Year when child labor committees emphasized reform through state legislatures | 1902-1915 |
| Year when Congress passed federal child labor laws | 1916, 1918 |
| Year when the National Child Labor Committee was formed | 1904 |
| Year when the maximum employer penalty for each employee who is subject to a violation of the child labor provisions of the FLSA was increased from $10,000 to $11,000 | 2007 |
| Year when child labor restrictions were loosened in states like New Jersey and Arkansas | 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
The National Child Labor Committee
The NCLC played a crucial role in advocating for child labour reform at the state level, with Owen Lovejoy and Alexander McKelway leading campaigns in the northern and southern states, respectively. Despite some successes in the north, the NCLC faced significant opposition in the south, particularly from the Southern Textile Association. However, the organization persisted and continued its efforts to address the abuses of child labour through investigative work, photographic documentation, and publicity campaigns.
In 1908, the NCLC hired Lewis Hine, a teacher and professional photographer, to document child labour in American industry. Hine's powerful photographs provided a glimpse into the grim working conditions faced by children and helped generate public support for federal child labour regulations. Hine's images became the face of the National Child Labor Committee and are considered some of the earliest examples of documentary photography in America.
The NCLC's efforts contributed to significant milestones in the fight against child labour. In 1916, under pressure from the NCLC and the National Consumers League, the United States Congress passed the Keating-Owen Act, which outlawed interstate commerce involving goods produced by children under a certain age. This marked the first federal child labour law in the nation. The NCLC also supported the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which set federal standards for child labour, established a national minimum wage, and placed limitations on child labour.
Following World War II, the National Child Labor Committee broadened its scope by emphasizing the education of children about the working world and advocating for programs to advance the education and health of migrant farmworkers. The organization's work continues to shape policies and initiatives aimed at protecting the rights and well-being of children in the United States.
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Photographers like Lewis Hine exposed child labor
Photographers like Lewis Hine played a crucial role in exposing child labor practices in the United States during the early 20th century. Hine, a former schoolteacher, believed that photographs could powerfully convey the abuse and injustice faced by child laborers. From 1908 to 1924, he worked as an investigative photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), documenting the harsh working and living conditions of children.
Hine's photographs provided a glimpse into the lives of child laborers across various industries, including seafood, fruit and vegetable packing, glass and bottling factories, cotton mills, and mining. He captured images of children with work-related injuries, highlighting the dangers and exploitation they endured. Hine's commitment to exposing child labor even led him to adopt various disguises, such as a Bible salesman or industrial photographer, to gain access to workplaces and document the conditions firsthand.
One of Hine's most notable photographs, "Young Shrimp Picker Named Manuel, 1912," captured an eight-year-old boy working as a shrimp picker in Dunbar, Louisiana. Hine also encountered an eight-year-old girl named Rosy, who worked as an oyster shucker in the same town. She told him that the younger children in her family would start working as soon as they could hold a knife.
Hine's photographs stirred the nation's conscience and played a pivotal role in changing labor laws. By exposing the exploitative nature of child labor, he helped galvanize public opinion and legislative action to end these abusive practices. In 1916, Congress passed the Keating-Owens Act, which established tighter standards for children's employment, including minimum age requirements and maximum workday hours. While this law was later ruled unconstitutional, it reflected the growing recognition of the need to protect children from exploitative labor.
The work of Lewis Hine and the NCLC contributed to significant reforms during the New Deal era, including the National Industrial Recovery Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. These laws set a national minimum wage, maximum hour standards, and further restrictions on child labor, reducing the number of children in the workforce. Hine's powerful visual documentation of child labor helped shine a light on this dark chapter in American history and inspired lasting changes to protect the rights and well-being of children.
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Federal laws vs. state laws
The National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), formed in 1904, played a crucial role in advocating for child labor laws at the state level. They published information on the harsh realities of young workers' lives and working conditions, gaining support for state-level child labor laws. In 1916, under pressure from the NCLC and the National Consumers League, Congress passed the Keating-Owen Act, the first federal child labor law, outlawing interstate commerce involving goods produced by children under a certain age. However, this law was later struck down by the Supreme Court in 1918.
The push for federal regulation of child labor continued, and in 1924, Congress approved a Constitutional amendment authorizing Congress to regulate the labor of persons under eighteen. However, ratification by the states proved challenging due to political climates and opposition from various organizations. It wasn't until the Roosevelt administration and the New Deal programs of the 1930s that significant progress was made. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) became the most sweeping federal law restricting child labor, protecting educational opportunities and prohibiting employment detrimental to children's health and safety.
Today, federal and state laws coexist, with states having varying laws covering youth employment. Where state law differs from federal law, the more rigorous standard applies. For example, federal law prohibits 14 and 15-year-olds from working on ladders or scaffolds, while a particular state's law may prohibit 16 and 17-year-olds from the same, providing greater protection. Employers must comply with both sets of laws, and in cases where state laws provide weaker protections, federal law prevails.
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The Great Depression's impact
Child labor has been a common practice throughout most of human history, with its zenith reached during the Industrial Revolution. The arrival of a newborn in a rural family during the 18th century was viewed as a future beneficial laborer. Children were expected to help with farm work and other household chores, and large families often sent their children to work as maids, servants, or plowboys. The Puritan work ethic of the 13 colonies valued hard work over idleness, and this belief system shaped the citizenry's outlook on child labor.
The growth of manufacturing and the introduction of machines provided more job opportunities for children, as the work became less complex. During the Industrial Revolution, miserable working conditions, including crowded and unclean factories, a lack of safety codes, and long hours, were the norm. Children were preferred as they could be paid less and were less likely to unionize.
The Great Depression left thousands of Americans without jobs and led to significant political and social changes in the United States, especially regarding child labor. The New Deal programs of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt focused on increasing federal oversight of the workplace and providing jobs for out-of-work adults, creating a powerful incentive to remove children from the workforce. The National Industrial Recovery Act, enacted as part of the New Deal, included numerous codes that significantly reduced child labor.
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, born out of the Great Depression, was a landmark law in the nation's social and economic development. It banned oppressive child labor, set a national minimum wage of 25 cents per hour, and established a maximum workweek of 44 hours. This legislation aimed to protect workers, particularly children, from exploitation and oppressive working conditions. The act was a response to the chaotic economic climate, where employers resorted to cut-throat competition and the overworking of employees to survive.
The Great Depression played a pivotal role in reshaping attitudes and policies towards child labor in the United States. It catalyzed political will to address the issue, leading to the enactment of federal laws and programs that significantly curbed the widespread practice of child labor and improved labor standards for all workers.
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Child labor in agriculture
In the early 20th century, reform efforts gained momentum, and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 set a national minimum wage and restricted child labor in non-agricultural jobs. The FLSA prohibits the employment of children under 14 in non-agricultural jobs and restricts the hours and types of work for those between 14 and 17. However, children of any age can be employed by their parents in agricultural occupations, and there are no limits on their working hours.
Agriculture is one of the most dangerous sectors in terms of work-related hazards, with high rates of injury and fatality among child workers. In the US, child farm workers are permitted to work longer hours and under more hazardous conditions than children in other sectors. They are often exposed to dangerous pesticides and experience high rates of injury and death. The lack of legal protections for these children is a significant concern, and there have been calls for the introduction of the Children's Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety (CARE Act) to provide them with the same protections as children in other industries.
Worldwide, approximately 60% of child laborers aged 5-17 work in agriculture, amounting to over 98 million children. Poverty, limited access to education, inadequate technology, and traditional attitudes towards children's participation in agricultural activities are among the leading causes of child labor in this sector. While some argue that children's participation in non-hazardous agricultural activities can be positive for skill transfer and food security, the distinction between light duties and exploitative child labor is critical.
In summary, child labor in agriculture remains a significant issue, with slow progress in eliminating it due to sector-specific challenges and exemptions in labor laws. Efforts to address this issue include updating hazardous work regulations, introducing legislation like the CARE Act, and increasing enforcement of existing child labor laws.
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