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Grading potatoes, preparing for shipment... ten miles south of Merrill, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
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Grading potatoes, preparing for shipment... ten miles south of Merrill, Oregon, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Grading potatoes, preparing for shipment, cold, rainy morning, end of harvesting season. Potatoes have been stored in this growers cellar. Ten miles south of Merrill, Klamath County, Oregon
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Media ID 25331753
© Heritage Art/Heritage Images
Agricultural Workers Barn Conveyor Belt Farm Hands Farm Labourers Farm Workers Farmer Farmhands Farmworkers Grading Klamath Basin Machine Machinery Mechanisation Oregon United States Of America Potato Potatoes Production Line Rain Raining Sack Sacks Size Vegetable Vegetables Agricultural Worker Depression Dorothea Lange Dorothea Lange Taylor Dorothea Margaretta Nutzhorn Economics Farm Hand Farm Labourer Farm Worker Farmhand Farmworker Great Depression Lange Dorothea Lee Russell Negative Nitrate Negative Nitrate Negatives Gmgpc Nutzhorn Dorothea Margaretta Recession Russell Lee Taylor Dorothea Lange
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Grading Potatoes - A Glimpse into the Hardships of Agricultural Workers in 1930s America
EDITORS COMMENTS
. This photograph, taken by renowned photographer Dorothea Lange in 1939, offers a poignant glimpse into the challenging lives of agricultural workers during the Great Depression. Captured ten miles south of Merrill, Oregon, at the end of a grueling harvesting season, this image showcases farmhands grading potatoes for shipment. On this cold and rainy morning, amidst an industrial barn setting, Lange's lens reveals a scene filled with determination and resilience. The champion potatoes have been carefully stored in the grower's cellar as part of their preparation for transportation to market. The conveyor belt stands as a symbol of mechanization that was slowly transforming traditional farming practices. Lange's composition beautifully captures a lone man diligently working among machinery—his weathered face reflecting years spent toiling on the land. This powerful portrayal highlights not only his individual struggle but also represents countless others who relied on agriculture for their livelihoods during these difficult times. As part of her work with the Farm Security Administration (FSA), Lange aimed to document rural life and shed light on economic hardships faced by farmers across America. Through her lens, she immortalized moments like this one—moments that would otherwise be forgotten or overlooked. Today, this remarkable photograph serves as both an artistic masterpiece and an important historical record preserved within the Library of Congress' collection. It reminds us all to appreciate those who labored tirelessly behind-the-scenes to sustain our nation's agricultural heritage during times of adversity.
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