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Waiting for the semimonthly relief checks at Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
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Waiting for the semimonthly relief checks at Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Waiting for the semimonthly relief checks at Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California. Typical story: fifteen years ago they owned farms in Oklahoma. Lost them through foreclosure when cotton prices fell after the war. Became tenants and sharecroppers. With the drought and dust they came West, 1934-1937. Never before left the county where they were born. Now although in California over a year they haven't been continuously resident in any single county long enough to become a legal resident. Reason: migratory agricultural laborers
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Media ID 36203847
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Agricultural Workers Bib Overalls California United States Of America Depressed Displaced Displaced People Displaced Person Displaced Persons Displacement Dole Dole Office Dungarees Employment Farm Hands Farm Labourers Farm Workers Farmer Farmhands Farmworkers Forced Displacement Forced Migrant Forced Migrants Forced Migration Migrating Migration Overalls Unemployed Unemployment Unemployment Benefit United States Office Of War Information Waiting Agricultural Worker Dorothea Lange Dorothea Lange Taylor Dorothea Margaretta Nutzhorn Farm Hand Farm Labourer Farm Worker Farmhand Farmworker Head Dress Lange Dorothea Lee Russell Nutzhorn Dorothea Margaretta Recession Russell Lee Taylor Dorothea Lange
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph, titled "Waiting for the Semimonthly Relief Checks at Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California," was captured by renowned American photographer Dorothea Lange in 1937. The image portrays a group of displaced farmers, huddled together under the shade of a tree, anxiously awaiting their semimonthly relief checks. The scene unfolds in the arid landscape of Imperial Valley, California, where the harsh realities of the Great Depression had forced these individuals from their homes in Oklahoma fifteen years prior. Having lost their farms through foreclosure due to falling cotton prices after World War I, they became tenants and sharecroppers. The drought and dust storms of the 1930s compelled them to migrate westward in search of work and a better life. Despite having resided in California for over a year, these individuals had not been able to establish continuous residency in any single county long enough to become legal residents. Their status as migratory agricultural laborers meant they were constantly on the move, following the agricultural labor demands of the region. Their clothing, consisting of worn bib overalls and caps, reflects their humble background and the hardships they have faced. The image is a poignant reminder of the forced displacement and migration that characterized the Great Depression era in America. The concept of the relief checks, distributed by the Farm Security Administration, served as a crucial lifeline for these families during these challenging times. Dorothea Lange, born Dorothea Margaretta Nutzhorn, was a pioneering photographer known for her documentation of the Great Depression and its impact on the American people. Her powerful and emotive imagery continues to resonate with audiences today, offering a glimpse into the past and the human stories that shaped our history.
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