"Migrant Mother" Florence Thompson with Her Children in Nipomo, California, February/March 1936

Photo shows Florence Thompson with several of her children in a tent shelter as part of the "Migrant Mother" series.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, Lange, Dorothea, "Migrant agricultural worker's family. Seven hungry children. Mother aged thirty-two. Father is native Californian. Nipomo, California," February/March 1936

Description

This photograph by Dorothea Lange is part of a well-known collection taken of Florence Thompson with several of her children during the Dust Bowl. The photo collection, known as the "Migrant Mother" series, shows Thompson with her children in a tent shelter in Nipomo, California.

Source-Dependent Questions

Look closely at the photo, describe the conditions in which this family was living.
This family had seven children, four of which can be seen in this photo. Using evidence from this photo, what would life be like for the children during this time?
Using this photo as a basis, look at the photo of Dust Bowl family from Arkansas. What kind of living conditions might the family from Arkansas expect in California?

Citation Information

Lange, Dorothea, "Migrant agricultural worker's family. Seven hungry children. Mother aged thirty-two. Father is native Californian. Nipomo, California," February/March 1936. Courtesy of Library of Congress