Dorthea Lang's The Migrant Mother

Dorthea Lang photographed “The Migrant Mother” in 1936, during the middle of the Great Depression, in a black and white style portrait. I assert that single mothers, during the Great Depression, struggled harder back then compared to now. Social services, food, or housing programs were not yet established within the local, state, or the federal government. On the contrary, single mothers today have many government and non-profit agencies that lend aid. Lang’s picture clearly channeled my sympathies by drawing my attention to this family’s plight. A haggard tent, filthy hygiene, and worn out old clothing point to severe stages of poverty. Once full of joy, the beautiful eyes of the mother, tell a different story of a life full of worry, doubt,