"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime"
Photographs from the Great Depression

Study a few of the photographs below to gain insights into the circumstances of some people who lived in the Depression era. Then use the Photo Study Guide to answer questions based on your observations.

Click on the captions below to see the photographs.

Refugees

• Depression refugee family from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dorothea Lange
• Part of an impoverished family of nine on a New Mexico highway, Dorothea Lange
• Son of depression refugee from Oklahoma now in California, Dorothea Lange

Houses

• The only home of a depression-routed family of nine from Iowa, Dorothea Lange
• Shanty built of refuse near the Sunnyside slack pile, Herrin, Illinois, Arthur Rothstein
• Tenement kitchen, Hamilton Co., Ohio, (boy and girl), Carl Maydans
• Tenement kitchen, Hamilton Co. Ohio, (family), Carl Maydans

Hooverville

• Dweller in Circleville's "Hooverville," central Ohio, (man and house), Ben Shahn
• Dwellers in Circleville's "Hooverville," central Ohio, Ben Shahn
• Dwellers in Circleville's "Hooverville," central Ohio, (Man in doorway), Ben Shahn
• William A. Swift, once a farmer, now a resident of Circleville's "Hooverville", Ben Shahn
• Young boy in Hooverville, Ben Shahn

Men's dormitory

• Corner of dormitory, Russell Lee
• Corner of dormitory, homeless men's bureau, Sioux City, Iowa, Russell Lee
• Men's dormitory at night at the homelessmen's bureau, Sioux City, Iowa, Russell Lee

WPA (Works Progress Administration)

• Children of ex-farmer who is now working on WPA, central Ohio, Ben Shahn
• Ex-farmer and child, now on WPA, central Ohio, Ben Shahn
• Ex-farmer and children, now on WPA, central Ohio, Ben Shahn
• Wife of WPA worker, Charlestown, West Virginia, Marion Post Wolcott

For more photographs, search in America from the Great Depression to World War II, 1935-1945

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