Scenes from the Great Depression

From the Dorothea Lange Collection - photos of migrants in California during the Great Depression (1935-1945). It is interesting how the thread of comments for this video has taken a life of its own. I posted this video as a tribute to Dorothea Lange, as her amazing photos transcend both race and time. She had a unique ability to recognize and capture the soul of people who struggled under extreme conditions. Many people from the Great Depression went on to lead long productive lives, and it is heartening to read comments from relatives of those who survived. Perhaps we can all learn from the photos and the glimpse they provide into American history.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Great
• Depression
• children
• California
• migrants
• photography
• history
• education

[Licmycat]

We better clean out the Wall Street henhouse of those robbing foxes before our kids end up in the same place...:(

[mkmcfr]

this suffering was caused by unregulated capitalism, profiteering and speculation, the same that brought us our current crisis. it wasn't caused by socialism, or too much government, or too much spending, or too much debt. but it was government spending on infrastructure and public works putting people to work and regulation of the "fat cats" on wall street that got us out of it. there followed 30 years of great prosperity, until ronald reagan's election began the decline of the last 30 years.

[canon21100]

Cool song at the end of the video.

[shawngee100]

we did a school project on the great depression in reading which i don't understand because it's not reading but thank you this got me a good grade with all the stuff it shows.

[ReblBorn]

People STILL LIVE LIKE THIS in many places in our country, and elsewhere the world.

[TheChrisrg]

Outstanding soundtrack. People like Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans commissioned by the FSA to document the people of rural depression era USA and bring us iconic images that still resonate today.

[boffinme80]

And to add, I don't think we'll ever have a depression as bad as the 1930s. We can still buy things, we still have jobs, we can pay for central heating when we save enough etc. In the 1930s people lost their houses and especially during the war. All the documentaries about the 1930s were set around grey skies. So you should be bloody grateful that for one, our economy has greatly improved over the years and two, child labour and child abuse are forbidden these days.

[boffinme80]

Anyone who wishes to live in the 1930s, in the era of depression must be mentally retarded. My grandparents don't ever want to see the 1930s again. Ever. You don't know how lucky we are now. Excluding the internet and mobile phones, we have what we want now and live in nice houses with great insulation and we have higher salaries and earn more in luxury which people in the 1930s could never have. The 1950s and 1960s seemed great times but the 1930s are a no no. Hence the name "Great Depression"

[teachingme]

Here's a more modern musical take on these events - hope you enjoy! :)

[120446219]

Thank you so much for posting....I love and respect all this of those times...

God bless those people....

[ReebsRae]

We have different problems now, and as little as they seem. Our problems are now harder to solve.

We have more starving people than we ever have had before. More poverty stricken community's than ever before. It's worse than it has ever been.