November 1908. Wylie Mill at Chester, S.C. Willie Crocker (barefoot), 13 yrs. old -- "worked since I was 6." Lost part of finger in gear of machinery. Fred Crocker, 11. One year in mill." View full size. Photo and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine.
Submitted by wikiriwhi on Sun, 05/18/2008 - 7:52am.
These boys could've been in 1837. For hundreds of years poverty has never been addressed let alone dealt with. Can you imagine an era that looked no different from 100 years before. Shocking and detestable.
[In 1837 they would have been working in the fields. It's technology and industry that lifted people out of poverty. - Dave]
Submitted by Joe Manning on Sun, 05/11/2008 - 6:32am.
This is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. I found some interesting information about Willie. He died in the late 1920s. He was married at the time, and had one daughter, Novilla, who was born in 1923. I have talked to one of Novilla's daughters, and will be talking to another soon. They never knew their grandfather Willie, of course, but have some stories to tell. More later.
