Heather Heyman and Dr. Allen J. Christenson, Humanities
When America experienced the Great Depression during the 1930’s, a large number of people struggled to survive each day. Countless men and women were unemployed, and therefore, had no means of providing for their families. The migrant workers of the west were hit the hardest, and their former lives of simplicity became a serious fight for existence. At this same time, however, a portrait photographer in San Francisco, named Dorothea Lange, captured city conditions with her camera. Out of curiosity and boldness, Lange began to take pictures of citizens in San Francisco. These photographs documented the results of the chaotic economy. Lange soon became deeply involved in this activity. Employed by the government, she traveled to the western agricultural regions of the United States, and discovered the harsh and disturbing circumstances that the migrants faced on a daily basis.
There is an abundance of literature discussing the life of Dorothea Lange, with detail and emphasis on her photography. Numerous authors have examined her childhood, analyzed her personality, and acclaimed her documentary photographs. Information is also provided about the government’s actions in response to her work. It is easy, therefore, to access knowledge about Dorothea Lange, one of the most famous photographers of the twentieth-century. On the other hand, it would be fascinating to discover the kind of power her prints have come to acquire.
In my honors thesis I will discuss how Dorothea Lange used her talents in photography to expose the hardships of the migrant workers during the Great Depression. I will examine specific photographs, and their relationship to public perceptions created from that era. Much of the literature I have found agrees that Lange was a gifted photographer, who took startling and powerful images during the Great Depression, and most of the authorities acclaim her techniques. The sources vary, however, on how these images affected society, and on the validity of the photographic messages. The images Lange obtained have been published in numerous places. They were first displayed during the years of the Depression, and have continued to be presented ever since, in books, magazines, and museums.
As a student majoring in American Studies, I have always enjoyed studying American history. Dorothea Lange’s photography from the Depression tells me a great deal about society during that time period, and it provides me with an idea of what Americans then looked like and felt. Therefore, I decided it would be exciting and rewarding to study Lange’s photography during the Depression, and I hope to present an informative thesis.
I began working on my thesis in the fall of 2002, enrolling in an honors English class called, Writing the Thesis. Throughout the semester I was able to accomplish a lot of research, discovering that the BYU Library has many resources available about Dorothea Lange and her work. I created an outline for my thesis, which details the chapters I hope to include. In the first chapter I will discuss what Dorothea Lange specifically offered America through her photographic techniques and style. My second chapter will detail the publication of Dorothea Lange’s work during the Depression and throughout her lifetime. The third chapter will explain how Lange’s work has become the symbol of the Depression in America, and the impact this has had on American culture.
During the winter semester of 2003 until the present time, I have done continuous research on my thesis. One notable research experience I had recently was visiting the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The Library of Congress houses Dorothea Lange’s entire photographic collection from the Depression. It was very interesting to view the images. To me, each picture spoke of a time when Americans exhibited great courage. I was able to examine the photographs individually and as government documents, as the photos belong to the Farm Security Administration Collection (FSA). Dorothea Lange was employed by the FSA during the 1930’s and she participated in documenting the horrible and devastating conditions many American migrants lived in.
I am hoping to begin writing the chapters of my thesis during the winter semester of 2004 and complete the thesis by the spring. The main obstacle I have encountered since last fall is just basically finding time to work on my thesis. Although I still have much work to do, I am confident that when my thesis is finished I will have proven my main objective; those who experienced the Depression, and those who did not, are able to better understand its consequences due to the work of Dorothea Lange.