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20 Heartbreaking Photos of Kids Working Before Child Labor Was Abolished

©Library of Congress,Lewis Hine

Before sweeping child labor laws were passed in the U.S. in 1938, young children toiled at dangerous jobs and worked in mines and mills with no oversight.

Lewis Hine (1874-1940) worked as a photographer for the National Child Labor Committee, crusading against the dangers and the immorality of child labor in America. Hine’s photos depict young kids working a variety of jobs and they stand as powerful historical documents.

1. Canning, maybe?

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

2. Cynical kids

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

3. Covered

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

4. Look at those head torches

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

5. Farmhand

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

6. Gatherer

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

7. Textile mill of some sort

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

8. Are those kids?

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

9. Very self assured

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

10. Jeez, she must be 7

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

11. Yearning for something else

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

12. Standing barefoot on heavy machinery

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

13. Trying to smike

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

14. Looking very intently

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

15. Napping

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

16. Newsie

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

17. Injured

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

18. Selling flowers, maybe?

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

19. Looking right at us

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

20. There’s only one real adult in this picture

Photo Credit: Library of Congress

So glad we’re not still dealing with child labor – but don’t forget, this is still a pervasive problem, globally. According to the Human Rights Watch, over 70 million children around the world still work in conditions very similar to the ones in these photos.