In the midst of the Great Depression, a photograph captured the essence of hardship and resilience in America. Taken in 1936 by Dorothea Lange, the image featured Florence Owens Thompson and her children in a California camp for struggling field workers whose livelihoods were devastated by the failure of the pea crops.
While working for the U.S. government’s Farm Security Administration (FSA) program was serendipitous, Lange was moved by the desperate mother’s plight.
The photographer snapped five photos, with one particular shot becoming immortalized as “Migrant Mother,” and “having achieved near mythical status, symbolizing, if not defining, an entire era in United States history.”
This image, with Thompson’s worn face and her children’s weary expressions, came to symbolize an entire era of American history
Years later, Dorothea Lange remembered meeting Florence Owens Thompson. She said:
“I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet. I do not remember how I explained my presence or my camera to her, but I do remember she asked me no questions. I made five exposures, working closer and closer from the same direction”.
Another picture of Thompson and two of her kids
For over 40 years, Thompson’s identity remained a mystery, but the photo gained widespread recognition, lauded as a poignant portrayal of the Depression. Even Roy Stryker, who oversaw the project, hailed it as the “ultimate” photo of the Depression Era.
“[Lange] never surpassed it. To me, it was the picture … The others were marvelous, but that was special… She is immortal”.
Even though the family didn’t have many possessions, they held onto a wicker rocking chair throughout their journey
Thompson’s identity finally surfaced in the late 1970s. Despite the fame the photo brought, she never profited from it. Instead, it served as a bittersweet reminder of past hardships.
In 1983, Thompson was suffering from cancer and a recent stroke, and along with that, her family was in financial strain. Therefore, she appealed for help and the response was overwhelming. Donations poured in from across the nation, accompanied by heartfelt letters from those inspired by Thompson’s resilience. The appeal raised more than $35,000.
Florence nurses Norma
Ultimately, Thompson passed away because of cancer and heart problems” in Scotts Valley, California, on September 16, 1983. However, her legacy lived on.
Her gravestone bears the inscription, “Florence Leona Thompson: Migrant Mother – A Legend of the Strength of American Motherhood.”
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