Lewis Wickes Hine <\/p>\r\n
(September 26, 1874 \u2013 November 3, 1940)<\/p>\r\n
was an American sociologist<\/a> and photographer<\/a>. Hine used his camera as a tool for social reform. His photographs were instrumental in changing child labor laws in the United States<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n In 1908 Hine became the photographer for the National Child Labor Committee<\/a>. Over the next decade, Hine documented child labor to aid the NCLC's lobbying efforts to end the practice. Hine's work for the NCLC was often dangerous. As a photographer, he was frequently threatened with violence or even death by factory police and foremen. At the time, the immorality of child labor was meant to be hidden from the public. Photography was not only prohibited but also posed a serious threat to the industry. To gain entry to the mills, mines and factories, Hine was forced to assume many guises. At times he was a fire inspector, postcard<\/a> vendor, bible salesman, or even an industrial photographer making a record of factory machinery.<\/p>\r\n Hine spent the month of November, 1911 photographing the children who worked at Dwight Manufacturing Company in Chicopee. Images displayed at the Chicopee Public Library are selected from thirty-six images Hine took at the Dwight Mill. The full set of photographs is viewable at the Library of Congress and are part of the National Child Labor Committee Collection.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>","credits":"Charles Abel","featured":0,"public":1,"theme":"","theme_options":"a:4:{s:7:\"seasons\";a:7:{s:11:\"style_sheet\";s:6:\"winter\";s:4:\"logo\";N;s:11:\"footer_text\";s:0:\"\";s:24:\"display_footer_copyright\";s:1:\"0\";s:17:\"item_file_gallery\";s:1:\"1\";s:19:\"use_advanced_search\";s:1:\"1\";s:12:\"exhibits_nav\";s:4:\"side\";}s:6:\"berlin\";a:5:{s:4:\"logo\";N;s:12:\"header_image\";N;s:11:\"footer_text\";s:0:\"\";s:24:\"display_footer_copyright\";s:1:\"1\";s:19:\"use_advanced_search\";s:1:\"1\";}s:7:\"default\";a:12:{s:10:\"text_color\";s:7:\"#444444\";s:16:\"background_color\";s:7:\"#FFFFFF\";s:10:\"link_color\";s:7:\"#7B241C\";s:12:\"button_color\";s:7:\"#000000\";s:17:\"button_text_color\";s:7:\"#FFFFFF\";s:18:\"header_title_color\";s:7:\"#FFFFFF\";s:4:\"logo\";N;s:11:\"footer_text\";s:175:\"