Tiny Hands, Big Battles: Childhood on the Factory Floor in Early America

At the turn of the 20th century, American factories buzzed with the energy of child workers—an everyday sight that soon became the center of a heated national debate. Reformers challenged the idea that childhood meant labor, pushing society to rethink the roles of parents, government, and community in protecting the young. The Library of Congress now offers a window into this pivotal era, curating firsthand accounts that reveal the daily realities of child laborers. Through crackling audio interviews, evocative photographs by Lewis Hine, and sharp editorial cartoons, the collection uncovers both the hardships faced by working children and the creative tactics used by activists to sway public opinion. These sources don’t just document history—they spotlight the fierce arguments and moral reckonings that shaped modern ideas of childhood. In the story of child labor, innocence and industry collide, leaving a legacy that still echoes in today’s conversations about work and rights. #ChildLaborHistory #AmericanReform #LibraryOfCongress #Culture