Whose Migrant Mother was this?

this is one of the world's most famous this is one of the world's most famous photographs it's commonly known as photographs it's commonly known as migrant mother and it was taken by migrant mother and it was taken by Dorothea Lange in 1936 during the Great Dorothea Lange in 1936 during the Great Depression in the u.s. Library of Depression in the u.s. Library of Congress the photograph is labeled as Congress the photograph is labeled as destitute pea Pickers in California and destitute pea Pickers in California and there are two stories here the story of there are two stories here the story of the photograph which has been famous the photograph which has been famous since 1936 and the story of its subject since 1936 and the story of its subject who was as it turns out not a pea picker who was as it turns out not a pea picker and whose identity wasn't known until and whose identity wasn't known until the late 1970s but let's begin with the the late 1970s but let's begin with the photograph which was printed in photograph which was printed in newspapers in 1936 and helped spur a newspapers in 1936 and helped spur a relief movement that saved many people relief movement that saved many people from starvation since then it's become from starvation since then it's become one of the most reproduced images in one of the most reproduced images in history it's been on a postage stamp history it's been on a postage stamp t-shirts magazine covers the picture is t-shirts magazine covers the picture is ubiquitous partly because it isn't ubiquitous partly because it isn't copyrighted it was taken as part of copyrighted it was taken as part of Lange's work with the Farm Security Lange's work with the Farm Security Administration so it's in the public Administration so it's in the public domain meaning that anyone can recreate domain meaning that anyone can recreate it for any reason without paying it for any reason without paying royalties royalties hence the existence of for example the hence the existence of for example the 1000 piece migrant mother jigsaw puzzle 1000 piece migrant mother jigsaw puzzle but lots of depression-era images are in but lots of depression-era images are in the public domain the public domain this one has stuck with us because it's this one has stuck with us because it's you know brilliant the mother's worried you know brilliant the mother's worried eyes the kids turned away from us the eyes the kids turned away from us the rough textures of their clothes rough textures of their clothes contrasted with human skin it takes a contrasted with human skin it takes a moment even to notice the swaddled baby moment even to notice the swaddled baby and for me at least that's when the real and for me at least that's when the real weight of the picture hits three kids weight of the picture hits three kids literally leaning on their mom and her literally leaning on their mom and her eyes are carrying all that weight Lange eyes are carrying all that weight Lange took six other photographs of the mom took six other photographs of the mom and her children on that day which give and her children on that day which give us a small sense of what the area us a small sense of what the area outside the famous photograph looked outside the famous photograph looked like on March 6 1936 the migrant mother like on March 6 1936 the migrant mother and her kids were just outside of a pea and her kids were just outside of a pea Pickers camp many years later in 1960 Pickers camp many years later in 1960 Lange wrote about the moment in popular Lange wrote about the moment in popular photography magazine I saw and photography magazine I saw and approached the hungry and desperate approached the hungry and desperate mother as if drawn by a magnet I do not mother as if drawn by a magnet I do not remember how I explained my presence or remember how I explained my presence or my camera to her but I do remember she my camera to her but I do remember she asked me no questions I'd asked me no questions I'd not ask her name or her history she told not ask her name or her history she told me her age that she was 32 she said that me her age that she was 32 she said that they had been living on frozen they had been living on frozen vegetables from the surrounding fields vegetables from the surrounding fields and birds that the children killed and birds that the children killed she had just sold the tires from her car she had just sold the tires from her car to buy food there she sat in that to buy food there she sat in that lean-to tent with her children huddled lean-to tent with her children huddled around her and seemed to know that my around her and seemed to know that my pictures might help her and so she pictures might help her and so she helped me there was a sort of a quality helped me there was a sort of a quality about it but Florence Owens Thompson the about it but Florence Owens Thompson the woman depicted in the photograph did not woman depicted in the photograph did not feel there was a sort of equality about feel there was a sort of equality about it and remembered the encounter quite it and remembered the encounter quite differently when Thompson was identified differently when Thompson was identified more than 40 years after the picture was more than 40 years after the picture was taken taken she told the newspaper reporter I wish she told the newspaper reporter I wish she hadn't taken my picture the she hadn't taken my picture the photograph became a symbol of the photograph became a symbol of the depression in the United States and the depression in the United States and the suffering had caused especially among suffering had caused especially among farmworkers a single image that could farmworkers a single image that could represent something deep about represent something deep about motherhood and resilience and poverty motherhood and resilience and poverty and desperation but the photographs and desperation but the photographs symbolic resonance is very distant from symbolic resonance is very distant from the lived experience of the people the lived experience of the people captured in that picture the migrant captured in that picture the migrant mother was not as the photo's caption mother was not as the photo's caption identified her a destitute pea picker identified her a destitute pea picker florence leona christie was born in 1903 florence leona christie was born in 1903 she was a Native American born to she was a Native American born to Cherokee parents in what was at the time Cherokee parents in what was at the time called Indian Territory it wouldn't called Indian Territory it wouldn't become the state of Oklahoma until 1907 become the state of Oklahoma until 1907 the life she lived has a lot to tell us the life she lived has a lot to tell us about the United States and 20th century about the United States and 20th century history and also a lot to tell us about history and also a lot to tell us about motherhood she was 17 when she married a motherhood she was 17 when she married a 23 year old farmer named Cleo Owens in 23 year old farmer named Cleo Owens in 1921 and over the next 10 years they 1921 and over the next 10 years they would move to California and have five would move to California and have five children together three girls and two children together three girls and two boys Florence was pregnant with their boys Florence was pregnant with their sixth child Catherine when Cleo died in sixth child Catherine when Cleo died in 1931 of tuberculosis as a single mother 1931 of tuberculosis as a single mother with six kids Florence often worked two with six kids Florence often worked two jobs picking cotton or doing other farm jobs picking cotton or doing other farm work during the day and then working at work during the day and then working at restaurants in the evening to support restaurants in the evening to support her family her children recall her as a her family her children recall her as a loving and devoted mother her daughter loving and devoted mother her daughter Ruby told a reporter Ruby told a reporter she could've gave us all these material she could've gave us all these material things maybe she would have but that I things maybe she would have but that I don't think would have replace what she don't think would have replace what she did give us she gave us all of sense of did give us she gave us all of sense of worth that nobody owes us anything worth that nobody owes us anything Katherine were called she didn't eat Katherine were called she didn't eat sometimes but she made sure us children sometimes but she made sure us children ate by the day the famous picture was ate by the day the famous picture was taken in 1936 Florence had remarried to taken in 1936 Florence had remarried to a man named Jim Hill and had another a man named Jim Hill and had another baby baby normally the family was always on the normally the family was always on the move driving their Hudson sedan from move driving their Hudson sedan from farm job to farm job they were on their farm job to farm job they were on their way to the lettuce fields of way to the lettuce fields of California's Paro Valley when the California's Paro Valley when the Hudsons timing belt snapped they stopped Hudsons timing belt snapped they stopped just outside of that people's camps and just outside of that people's camps and Jim and two of the older kids walked to Jim and two of the older kids walked to a nearby town to get a new timing belt a nearby town to get a new timing belt meanwhile Florence set up a lean-to and meanwhile Florence set up a lean-to and cooked food for her kids so according to cooked food for her kids so according to the family they had not been living on the family they had not been living on frozen vegetables from the fields nor frozen vegetables from the fields nor had they sold their tyres for food had they sold their tyres for food Florence's son Troy would later say Florence's son Troy would later say there's no way we sold our tires because there's no way we sold our tires because we didn't have any to sell the only ones we didn't have any to sell the only ones we had were on the Hudson and we drove we had were on the Hudson and we drove off in them off in them I don't believe Lange was lying I just I don't believe Lange was lying I just think she had one story mixed up with think she had one story mixed up with another and this is important to another and this is important to understand because while Florence and understand because while Florence and her family were extremely poor they were her family were extremely poor they were better off than most of the actually better off than most of the actually destitute pea Pickers who were living in destitute pea Pickers who were living in that camp at the time Florence would that camp at the time Florence would later recall that while she cooked for later recall that while she cooked for her children that day other kids came her children that day other kids came over from the camp and asked if they over from the camp and asked if they could have a bite or two many of the could have a bite or two many of the people's in the camp were Mexican people's in the camp were Mexican Americans and because of their ethnicity Americans and because of their ethnicity they were at constant risk of they were at constant risk of deportation as part of the so called deportation as part of the so called Mexican repatriation during the Mexican repatriation during the Depression era over a million Depression era over a million mexican-americans most of whom were US mexican-americans most of whom were US citizens were deported without due citizens were deported without due process process playing photographs some of those people playing photographs some of those people in Nipomo speakers camp as well but it in Nipomo speakers camp as well but it was Florence and her children who was Florence and her children who captured the public's imagination within captured the public's imagination within a few days of the pictures first a few days of the pictures first publication 20,000 pounds of food aid publication 20,000 pounds of food aid was delivered to the P pictures camp but was delivered to the P pictures camp but by then Florence and her family had by then Florence and her family had moved on to the lettuce fields Florence moved on to the lettuce fields Florence would continue to find seasonal work would continue to find seasonal work until after World until after World - when she had last found a measure of - when she had last found a measure of economic stability recalling her career economic stability recalling her career late in life she said I worked in late in life she said I worked in hospitals our ten bar I cooked I worked hospitals our ten bar I cooked I worked in the field I'd done a little bit of in the field I'd done a little bit of everything to make a living for my kids everything to make a living for my kids she would eventually have eleven she would eventually have eleven children and in the 1970s they would children and in the 1970s they would pitch in to buy Florence a house in pitch in to buy Florence a house in Modesto California but Florence decided Modesto California but Florence decided she preferred living in a mobile home she preferred living in a mobile home and so moved back into one in 1983 when and so moved back into one in 1983 when Florence was 80 her children made a Florence was 80 her children made a public appeal for help with Florence's public appeal for help with Florence's medical cost she'd had a stroke and had medical cost she'd had a stroke and had no savings a reminder that the uniquely no savings a reminder that the uniquely American phenomenon of medical American phenomenon of medical fundraisers is nothing new the appeal fundraisers is nothing new the appeal raised $35,000 and more than 2,000 raised $35,000 and more than 2,000 people wrote to Florence Owens Thompson people wrote to Florence Owens Thompson her family read her the letters in the her family read her the letters in the hospital where she died a few weeks hospital where she died a few weeks later Florence and her family had a later Florence and her family had a complicated relationship with the complicated relationship with the picture Norma the baby in the photograph picture Norma the baby in the photograph said when I look at that photo of mother said when I look at that photo of mother it saddens me that's not how I like to it saddens me that's not how I like to remember her it's true the kids remember her it's true the kids acknowledged that they grew up acknowledged that they grew up desperately poor desperately poor they had no toys picked cotton from a they had no toys picked cotton from a young age and because they were so often young age and because they were so often working had very few educational working had very few educational opportunities but that's not the whole opportunities but that's not the whole story any more than a single photograph story any more than a single photograph is a whole life is a whole life Florence loved music her children want Florence loved music her children want us to know she was a great storyteller us to know she was a great storyteller she had a dog named Montana slim and she had a dog named Montana slim and volunteered as a union organizer but volunteered as a union organizer but they also resist attempts to romanticize they also resist attempts to romanticize poverty or their mother in 1992 when an poverty or their mother in 1992 when an interviewer asked when you think about interviewer asked when you think about the good things of that period what the good things of that period what comes to mind comes to mind Florence's daughter Catherine replied I Florence's daughter Catherine replied I don't have no big memories of that don't have no big memories of that period none whatsoever period none whatsoever maybe that's why I black most over doubt maybe that's why I black most over doubt in my mind and it was hard for the in my mind and it was hard for the family to accept that Lange became family to accept that Lange became famous for the photograph while its famous for the photograph while its subjects continued to struggle so subjects continued to struggle so desperately as Katherine put it that desperately as Katherine put it that photo never gave mother or us kids any photo never gave mother or us kids any relief but at the end of Florence's life relief but at the end of Florence's life when the notes poured in from around the when the notes poured in from around the country their family began to reconsider country their family began to reconsider migrant mother migrant mother no we knew that the picture was no we knew that the picture was important we knew that you know we'd important we knew that you know we'd been contacted by different people we'd been contacted by different people we'd seen in magazines and in Life magazine seen in magazines and in Life magazine and in the newspapers periodically if and in the newspapers periodically if something came up but we never really something came up but we never really knew how my mom affected the nation one knew how my mom affected the nation one donor to the Medical Fund wrote the donor to the Medical Fund wrote the famous picture of your mother for years famous picture of your mother for years gave me great strength pride and dignity gave me great strength pride and dignity only because she exuded those qualities only because she exuded those qualities and as the letters flooded in Florence's and as the letters flooded in Florence's children one of whom had described the children one of whom had described the picture as a curse began to see it as picture as a curse began to see it as something more than that something more than that Florence Owens Thompson didn't want to Florence Owens Thompson didn't want to be the face of American poverty but I be the face of American poverty but I don't think in the end it's a picture of don't think in the end it's a picture of mere poverty there were many migrant mere poverty there were many migrant mothers photographed during the mothers photographed during the Depression by the Farm Security Depression by the Farm Security Administration's photographers including Administration's photographers including many taken by Dorothea Lange what makes many taken by Dorothea Lange what makes this one special is not that its subject this one special is not that its subject is especially pitiful but instead its is especially pitiful but instead its subjects manifest strength and dignity subjects manifest strength and dignity it's a picture of a mother's fear and a it's a picture of a mother's fear and a mother's exhaustion sure but also of a mother's exhaustion sure but also of a mother's love and determination and so mother's love and determination and so the curse did eventually become a source the curse did eventually become a source of pride Florence's kids had her of pride Florence's kids had her tombstone inscribed migrant mother a tombstone inscribed migrant mother a legend of the strength of American legend of the strength of American motherhood and that seems to me a motherhood and that seems to me a brilliant summation of the relationship brilliant summation of the relationship between the famous picture and its long between the famous picture and its long unknown subject forints Owens Thompson unknown subject forints Owens Thompson became a legend of the strength of became a legend of the strength of motherhood and to so many people then motherhood and to so many people then and to many more today she is the and to many more today she is the embodiment of that legend but to her 11 embodiment of that legend but to her 11 children she was much more she was funny children she was much more she was funny strict stuck in her ways loving strict stuck in her ways loving hard-working and supportive in short to hard-working and supportive in short to them she wasn't the legend she was their