Who was the woman in the famous Great Depression photograph?

The woman famously depicted in Dorothea Lange's iconic Great Depression photograph, "Migrant Mother," was Florence Owens Thompson.

Unveiling the Face of the Great Depression

Dorothea Lange's photograph, often referred to as "Migrant Mother," stands as one of the most recognizable and enduring images from the Great Depression era. Captured in 1936 in Nipomo, California, it powerfully encapsulates the hardship and resilience of American families confronting one of the nation's most challenging economic periods. While the image itself became synonymous with the widespread struggles of the time, the identity of the woman at its heart remained largely unknown to the public for many years.

The Story of Florence Owens Thompson

The woman in the photograph was Florence Owens Thompson, who was a mother of seven children at the time the picture was taken. Born Florence Leona Christie in Oklahoma in 1903, she was of Cherokee descent. By 1936, she was a widowed mother, struggling to find work and provide for her family, moving with other migrant farmworkers across California in a relentless search for employment opportunities.

Her pivotal encounter with photographer Dorothea Lange occurred in a pea pickers' camp near Nipomo. Lange, then working for the Resettlement Administration (which later became the Farm Security Administration), was documenting the difficult lives of migrant workers. She took six photographs of Thompson and her children, with the fifth shot being the one that achieved universal recognition as "Migrant Mother." Thompson later recalled that Lange spent only about ten minutes capturing these powerful images.

Identification and Lasting Legacy

For decades, Florence Owens Thompson remained anonymous to the broader public, simply known as the "Migrant Mother." However, approximately forty years after Lange took her famous photograph, a reporter successfully located the woman. At the time of her identification, Florence Thompson was living in a trailer home in Modesto, California. This discovery brought her personal story into sharper focus, allowing the world to connect the iconic image with the individual who embodied so much of the era's suffering and strength.

Thompson herself expressed mixed feelings about the photograph over the years. She sometimes wished she hadn't posed for it, citing the intense public scrutiny and the perception that it didn't bring her or her family any direct financial benefit despite its immense fame and impact. Nevertheless, the photograph served as a powerful catalyst for public awareness and government aid, particularly concerning the dire plight of migrant workers.

Migrant Mother transcended its documentary origins to become a poignant symbol of human endurance against adversity. It continues to be studied and admired for its profound emotional depth and its significant role in shaping public perception of the Great Depression.

Key Facts About Florence Owens Thompson and "Migrant Mother"