History didn’t happen in black and white — experience one of the country’s greatest hardships in all its heartbreaking color.
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30 Great Depression Pictures Brought To Life In Stunning Color
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Photos Of The Great Depression’s Forgotten Black Victims
1 of 46A young girl stands by a fence, a doll in her hand.
Location unspecified. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 2 of 46A railroad worker covered in dirt and soot after a long, hard day of work.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 3 of 46A store advertises that it has live fish for sale.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. July 1940.Library of Congress 4 of 46A dust storm moves in on a family living in the Dust Bowl.
Stratford, Texas. April 18, 1935.Wikimedia Commons 5 of 46Jack Whinery and his family. They are homesteaders, who live in a half-underground dugout home, living off of what they grow.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 6 of 46A family of planters at an FSA cooperative sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress 7 of 46Jim Norris, a homesteader living off the land.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 8 of 46Sharecroppers chop up cotton under the hot Georgia sun.
Greene County, Georgia. June 1941.Library of Congress 9 of 46A migrant worker traveling around America to pick peas sits with her children.
Nipomo, California. 1936.Wikimedia Commons 10 of 46A broken down shack that serves as home for an African-American family of migrant workers.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941.Library of Congress 11 of 46Boys sitting on a truck in a migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 12 of 46A little boy helps his mother pick cotton.
Clarksdale, Mississippi. November 1939.Library of Congress 13 of 46A little girl and her mother sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress 14 of 46The light slips into the roundhouse of a railroad yard.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 15 of 46People share some of their surplus with each other.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress 16 of 46Crowds scavenge through the surplus, looking for something that they can use.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress 17 of 46A family eats dinner inside of their dugout home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 18 of 46A family travels toward California in search of work after their life in Missouri was devastated by drought.
Tracy, California. February 1937.Wikimedia Commons 19 of 46A boy in a migrant work camp makes a model airplane while the girl next to him watches.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 20 of 46A young girl leans against the barbwire fence around the migrant worker camp where she lives.
Yakima Valley, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons 21 of 46The living quarters and the “juke joint” in a migrant worker camp.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941. Library of Congress 22 of 46A family stands in front of their home, a shack on the outskirts of town.
Klamath Falls, Oregon. September 1939.Wikimedia Commons 23 of 46Migrant workers on the back of a truck, headed to the next job.
Mississippi. Circa 1940.Library of Congress 24 of 46The child of migrant workers sits in her new home, struggling to adjust to her changing life.
New Mexico. December 1935Wikimedia Commons 25 of 46Boys fishing in the bayou.
Schriever, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress 26 of 46Small children play with sticks, pretending they are guns.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 27 of 46Children stand in front of their tenement home.
Brockton, Massachusetts. December 1940.Library of Congress 28 of 46Four children cross the streets.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 29 of 46A young boy shows off a bike he bought with his own money.
Michigan Hill, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons 30 of 46Men at work on the boiler of a train.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 31 of 46A homesteader stands in front of his home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress 32 of 46Jim Norris’ wife cans food for the winter.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940. Library of Congress 33 of 46Children play near the schoolhouse.
Kansas. Circa 1942-1943.Library of Congress 34 of 46School children singing.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 35 of 46The dugout home of Jack Whinery and his family, who live off of what they grow in their garden.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress 36 of 46A square dance held inside a rural home.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress 37 of 46Four children sleep sharing a single bed.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress 38 of 46A bar and a gas station in a town of sharecroppers and plantations.
Melrose, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress 39 of 46A migrant worker camp in Texas.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 40 of 46The shelters inside the migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 41 of 46A young woman does the laundry in a communal tub, shared with the other members of her camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 42 of 46Boys gather around to play marbles in the camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 43 of 46A child sits in the cabbage patch, helping his parents work on the farm.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 44 of 46Children line up to go to school, which, in their town, is held in the Farm Bureau administrative office.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 45 of 46Children sit on the ground to eat barbeque with their parents.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 46 of 46Like this gallery?Share it:
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Color Photos That’ll Make You Glad You Didn’t Live Through The Great Depression View Gallery
In the 1930s, the U.S. Farm Security Administration (F.S.A.) sent out a group of America’s best photographers to document the Great Depression. They took some incredible photographs that revealed how the people of America were living through one of the darkest periods in the country’s history.
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30 Great Depression Pictures Brought To Life In Stunning Color
55 Harrowing Photos Of The Great Depression In New York City
Photos Of The Great Depression’s Forgotten Black Victims
1 of 46A young girl stands by a fence, a doll in her hand.
Location unspecified. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 2 of 46A railroad worker covered in dirt and soot after a long, hard day of work.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 3 of 46A store advertises that it has live fish for sale.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. July 1940.Library of Congress 4 of 46A dust storm moves in on a family living in the Dust Bowl.
Stratford, Texas. April 18, 1935.Wikimedia Commons 5 of 46Jack Whinery and his family. They are homesteaders, who live in a half-underground dugout home, living off of what they grow.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 6 of 46A family of planters at an FSA cooperative sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress 7 of 46Jim Norris, a homesteader living off the land.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 8 of 46Sharecroppers chop up cotton under the hot Georgia sun.
Greene County, Georgia. June 1941.Library of Congress 9 of 46A migrant worker traveling around America to pick peas sits with her children.
Nipomo, California. 1936.Wikimedia Commons 10 of 46A broken down shack that serves as home for an African-American family of migrant workers.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941.Library of Congress 11 of 46Boys sitting on a truck in a migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 12 of 46A little boy helps his mother pick cotton.
Clarksdale, Mississippi. November 1939.Library of Congress 13 of 46A little girl and her mother sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress 14 of 46The light slips into the roundhouse of a railroad yard.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 15 of 46People share some of their surplus with each other.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress 16 of 46Crowds scavenge through the surplus, looking for something that they can use.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress 17 of 46A family eats dinner inside of their dugout home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 18 of 46A family travels toward California in search of work after their life in Missouri was devastated by drought.
Tracy, California. February 1937.Wikimedia Commons 19 of 46A boy in a migrant work camp makes a model airplane while the girl next to him watches.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 20 of 46A young girl leans against the barbwire fence around the migrant worker camp where she lives.
Yakima Valley, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons 21 of 46The living quarters and the “juke joint” in a migrant worker camp.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941. Library of Congress 22 of 46A family stands in front of their home, a shack on the outskirts of town.
Klamath Falls, Oregon. September 1939.Wikimedia Commons 23 of 46Migrant workers on the back of a truck, headed to the next job.
Mississippi. Circa 1940.Library of Congress 24 of 46The child of migrant workers sits in her new home, struggling to adjust to her changing life.
New Mexico. December 1935Wikimedia Commons 25 of 46Boys fishing in the bayou.
Schriever, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress 26 of 46Small children play with sticks, pretending they are guns.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 27 of 46Children stand in front of their tenement home.
Brockton, Massachusetts. December 1940.Library of Congress 28 of 46Four children cross the streets.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 29 of 46A young boy shows off a bike he bought with his own money.
Michigan Hill, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons 30 of 46Men at work on the boiler of a train.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 31 of 46A homesteader stands in front of his home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress 32 of 46Jim Norris’ wife cans food for the winter.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940. Library of Congress 33 of 46Children play near the schoolhouse.
Kansas. Circa 1942-1943.Library of Congress 34 of 46School children singing.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 35 of 46The dugout home of Jack Whinery and his family, who live off of what they grow in their garden.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress 36 of 46A square dance held inside a rural home.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress 37 of 46Four children sleep sharing a single bed.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress 38 of 46A bar and a gas station in a town of sharecroppers and plantations.
Melrose, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress 39 of 46A migrant worker camp in Texas.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 40 of 46The shelters inside the migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 41 of 46A young woman does the laundry in a communal tub, shared with the other members of her camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 42 of 46Boys gather around to play marbles in the camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 43 of 46A child sits in the cabbage patch, helping his parents work on the farm.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 44 of 46Children line up to go to school, which, in their town, is held in the Farm Bureau administrative office.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 45 of 46Children sit on the ground to eat barbeque with their parents.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 46 of 46Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
30 Great Depression Pictures Brought To Life In Stunning Color
55 Harrowing Photos Of The Great Depression In New York City
Photos Of The Great Depression’s Forgotten Black Victims
1 of 46A young girl stands by a fence, a doll in her hand.
Location unspecified. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 2 of 46A railroad worker covered in dirt and soot after a long, hard day of work.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 3 of 46A store advertises that it has live fish for sale.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. July 1940.Library of Congress 4 of 46A dust storm moves in on a family living in the Dust Bowl.
Stratford, Texas. April 18, 1935.Wikimedia Commons 5 of 46Jack Whinery and his family. They are homesteaders, who live in a half-underground dugout home, living off of what they grow.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 6 of 46A family of planters at an FSA cooperative sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress 7 of 46Jim Norris, a homesteader living off the land.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 8 of 46Sharecroppers chop up cotton under the hot Georgia sun.
Greene County, Georgia. June 1941.Library of Congress 9 of 46A migrant worker traveling around America to pick peas sits with her children.
Nipomo, California. 1936.Wikimedia Commons 10 of 46A broken down shack that serves as home for an African-American family of migrant workers.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941.Library of Congress 11 of 46Boys sitting on a truck in a migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 12 of 46A little boy helps his mother pick cotton.
Clarksdale, Mississippi. November 1939.Library of Congress 13 of 46A little girl and her mother sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress 14 of 46The light slips into the roundhouse of a railroad yard.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 15 of 46People share some of their surplus with each other.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress 16 of 46Crowds scavenge through the surplus, looking for something that they can use.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress 17 of 46A family eats dinner inside of their dugout home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 18 of 46A family travels toward California in search of work after their life in Missouri was devastated by drought.
Tracy, California. February 1937.Wikimedia Commons 19 of 46A boy in a migrant work camp makes a model airplane while the girl next to him watches.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 20 of 46A young girl leans against the barbwire fence around the migrant worker camp where she lives.
Yakima Valley, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons 21 of 46The living quarters and the “juke joint” in a migrant worker camp.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941. Library of Congress 22 of 46A family stands in front of their home, a shack on the outskirts of town.
Klamath Falls, Oregon. September 1939.Wikimedia Commons 23 of 46Migrant workers on the back of a truck, headed to the next job.
Mississippi. Circa 1940.Library of Congress 24 of 46The child of migrant workers sits in her new home, struggling to adjust to her changing life.
New Mexico. December 1935Wikimedia Commons 25 of 46Boys fishing in the bayou.
Schriever, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress 26 of 46Small children play with sticks, pretending they are guns.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 27 of 46Children stand in front of their tenement home.
Brockton, Massachusetts. December 1940.Library of Congress 28 of 46Four children cross the streets.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 29 of 46A young boy shows off a bike he bought with his own money.
Michigan Hill, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons 30 of 46Men at work on the boiler of a train.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 31 of 46A homesteader stands in front of his home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress 32 of 46Jim Norris’ wife cans food for the winter.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940. Library of Congress 33 of 46Children play near the schoolhouse.
Kansas. Circa 1942-1943.Library of Congress 34 of 46School children singing.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 35 of 46The dugout home of Jack Whinery and his family, who live off of what they grow in their garden.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress 36 of 46A square dance held inside a rural home.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress 37 of 46Four children sleep sharing a single bed.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress 38 of 46A bar and a gas station in a town of sharecroppers and plantations.
Melrose, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress 39 of 46A migrant worker camp in Texas.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 40 of 46The shelters inside the migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 41 of 46A young woman does the laundry in a communal tub, shared with the other members of her camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 42 of 46Boys gather around to play marbles in the camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 43 of 46A child sits in the cabbage patch, helping his parents work on the farm.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 44 of 46Children line up to go to school, which, in their town, is held in the Farm Bureau administrative office.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 45 of 46Children sit on the ground to eat barbeque with their parents.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 46 of 46Like this gallery?Share it:
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30 Great Depression Pictures Brought To Life In Stunning Color
55 Harrowing Photos Of The Great Depression In New York City
Photos Of The Great Depression’s Forgotten Black Victims
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1 of 46A young girl stands by a fence, a doll in her hand.
Location unspecified. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 2 of 46A railroad worker covered in dirt and soot after a long, hard day of work.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 3 of 46A store advertises that it has live fish for sale.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. July 1940.Library of Congress 4 of 46A dust storm moves in on a family living in the Dust Bowl.
Stratford, Texas. April 18, 1935.Wikimedia Commons 5 of 46Jack Whinery and his family. They are homesteaders, who live in a half-underground dugout home, living off of what they grow.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 6 of 46A family of planters at an FSA cooperative sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress 7 of 46Jim Norris, a homesteader living off the land.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 8 of 46Sharecroppers chop up cotton under the hot Georgia sun.
Greene County, Georgia. June 1941.Library of Congress 9 of 46A migrant worker traveling around America to pick peas sits with her children.
Nipomo, California. 1936.Wikimedia Commons 10 of 46A broken down shack that serves as home for an African-American family of migrant workers.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941.Library of Congress 11 of 46Boys sitting on a truck in a migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 12 of 46A little boy helps his mother pick cotton.
Clarksdale, Mississippi. November 1939.Library of Congress 13 of 46A little girl and her mother sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress 14 of 46The light slips into the roundhouse of a railroad yard.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 15 of 46People share some of their surplus with each other.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress 16 of 46Crowds scavenge through the surplus, looking for something that they can use.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress 17 of 46A family eats dinner inside of their dugout home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 18 of 46A family travels toward California in search of work after their life in Missouri was devastated by drought.
Tracy, California. February 1937.Wikimedia Commons 19 of 46A boy in a migrant work camp makes a model airplane while the girl next to him watches.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 20 of 46A young girl leans against the barbwire fence around the migrant worker camp where she lives.
Yakima Valley, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons 21 of 46The living quarters and the “juke joint” in a migrant worker camp.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941. Library of Congress 22 of 46A family stands in front of their home, a shack on the outskirts of town.
Klamath Falls, Oregon. September 1939.Wikimedia Commons 23 of 46Migrant workers on the back of a truck, headed to the next job.
Mississippi. Circa 1940.Library of Congress 24 of 46The child of migrant workers sits in her new home, struggling to adjust to her changing life.
New Mexico. December 1935Wikimedia Commons 25 of 46Boys fishing in the bayou.
Schriever, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress 26 of 46Small children play with sticks, pretending they are guns.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 27 of 46Children stand in front of their tenement home.
Brockton, Massachusetts. December 1940.Library of Congress 28 of 46Four children cross the streets.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress 29 of 46A young boy shows off a bike he bought with his own money.
Michigan Hill, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons 30 of 46Men at work on the boiler of a train.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress 31 of 46A homesteader stands in front of his home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress 32 of 46Jim Norris’ wife cans food for the winter.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940. Library of Congress 33 of 46Children play near the schoolhouse.
Kansas. Circa 1942-1943.Library of Congress 34 of 46School children singing.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 35 of 46The dugout home of Jack Whinery and his family, who live off of what they grow in their garden.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress 36 of 46A square dance held inside a rural home.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress 37 of 46Four children sleep sharing a single bed.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress 38 of 46A bar and a gas station in a town of sharecroppers and plantations.
Melrose, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress 39 of 46A migrant worker camp in Texas.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 40 of 46The shelters inside the migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 41 of 46A young woman does the laundry in a communal tub, shared with the other members of her camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 42 of 46Boys gather around to play marbles in the camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 43 of 46A child sits in the cabbage patch, helping his parents work on the farm.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress 44 of 46Children line up to go to school, which, in their town, is held in the Farm Bureau administrative office.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 45 of 46Children sit on the ground to eat barbeque with their parents.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress 46 of 46Like this gallery?Share it:
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1 of 46A young girl stands by a fence, a doll in her hand.
Location unspecified. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress
2 of 46A railroad worker covered in dirt and soot after a long, hard day of work.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress
3 of 46A store advertises that it has live fish for sale.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. July 1940.Library of Congress
4 of 46A dust storm moves in on a family living in the Dust Bowl.
Stratford, Texas. April 18, 1935.Wikimedia Commons
5 of 46Jack Whinery and his family. They are homesteaders, who live in a half-underground dugout home, living off of what they grow.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress
6 of 46A family of planters at an FSA cooperative sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress
7 of 46Jim Norris, a homesteader living off the land.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress
8 of 46Sharecroppers chop up cotton under the hot Georgia sun.
Greene County, Georgia. June 1941.Library of Congress
9 of 46A migrant worker traveling around America to pick peas sits with her children.
Nipomo, California. 1936.Wikimedia Commons
10 of 46A broken down shack that serves as home for an African-American family of migrant workers.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941.Library of Congress
11 of 46Boys sitting on a truck in a migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress
12 of 46A little boy helps his mother pick cotton.
Clarksdale, Mississippi. November 1939.Library of Congress
13 of 46A little girl and her mother sit on the porch of their home.
Natchitoches, Louisiana. August 1940.Library of Congress
14 of 46The light slips into the roundhouse of a railroad yard.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress
15 of 46People share some of their surplus with each other.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress
16 of 46Crowds scavenge through the surplus, looking for something that they can use.
St. Johns, Arizona. October 1940.Library of Congress
17 of 46A family eats dinner inside of their dugout home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress
18 of 46A family travels toward California in search of work after their life in Missouri was devastated by drought.
Tracy, California. February 1937.Wikimedia Commons
19 of 46A boy in a migrant work camp makes a model airplane while the girl next to him watches.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress
20 of 46A young girl leans against the barbwire fence around the migrant worker camp where she lives.
Yakima Valley, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons
21 of 46The living quarters and the “juke joint” in a migrant worker camp.
Belle Glade, Florida. February 1941. Library of Congress
22 of 46A family stands in front of their home, a shack on the outskirts of town.
Klamath Falls, Oregon. September 1939.Wikimedia Commons
23 of 46Migrant workers on the back of a truck, headed to the next job.
Mississippi. Circa 1940.Library of Congress
24 of 46The child of migrant workers sits in her new home, struggling to adjust to her changing life.
New Mexico. December 1935Wikimedia Commons
25 of 46Boys fishing in the bayou.
Schriever, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress
26 of 46Small children play with sticks, pretending they are guns.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress
27 of 46Children stand in front of their tenement home.
Brockton, Massachusetts. December 1940.Library of Congress
28 of 46Four children cross the streets.
Washington, D.C. Circa 1941-1942.Library of Congress
29 of 46A young boy shows off a bike he bought with his own money.
Michigan Hill, Washington. August 1939.Wikimedia Commons
30 of 46Men at work on the boiler of a train.
Chicago, Illinois. December 1942.Library of Congress
31 of 46A homesteader stands in front of his home.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress
32 of 46Jim Norris’ wife cans food for the winter.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940. Library of Congress
33 of 46Children play near the schoolhouse.
Kansas. Circa 1942-1943.Library of Congress
34 of 46School children singing.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress
35 of 46The dugout home of Jack Whinery and his family, who live off of what they grow in their garden.
Pie Town, New Mexico. September 1940.Library of Congress
36 of 46A square dance held inside a rural home.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress
37 of 46Four children sleep sharing a single bed.
McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Circa 1939-1940.Library of Congress
38 of 46A bar and a gas station in a town of sharecroppers and plantations.
Melrose, Louisiana. June 1940.Library of Congress
39 of 46A migrant worker camp in Texas.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress
40 of 46The shelters inside the migrant worker camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress
41 of 46A young woman does the laundry in a communal tub, shared with the other members of her camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress
42 of 46Boys gather around to play marbles in the camp.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress
43 of 46A child sits in the cabbage patch, helping his parents work on the farm.
Robstown, Texas. January 1942.Library of Congress
44 of 46Children line up to go to school, which, in their town, is held in the Farm Bureau administrative office.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress
45 of 46Children sit on the ground to eat barbeque with their parents.
Pie Town, New Mexico. October 1940.Library of Congress
46 of 46Like this gallery?Share it:
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Color Photos That’ll Make You Glad You Didn’t Live Through The Great Depression View Gallery
Color Photos That’ll Make You Glad You Didn’t Live Through The Great Depression View Gallery
Color Photos That’ll Make You Glad You Didn’t Live Through The Great Depression View Gallery
Color Photos That’ll Make You Glad You Didn’t Live Through The Great Depression View Gallery
Color Photos That’ll Make You Glad You Didn’t Live Through The Great Depression
View Gallery
These photos captured every part of daily life, showing families at home, at work, and at church. Every hardship of the era was brought to light.
Photographers in the prairies captured the areas where sandstorms tore farmlands apart and left people to starve through harsh droughts. Likewise, these photographers captured the homesteaders, those who lived in dugouts, mostly-underground homes and had turned to living solely off of what they could grow.
Then there were the sharecroppers: poor tenants, most of them black, who were forced to live on rented properties where they had no choice about what they could grow. These people were forced into a life that wasn’t altogether different from slavery in order to pay off their heavy debts.
But not only were these F.S.A. photographs documents of hardship, they were also works of art that, today, stand as some of the best-known photos in American history.
In the gallery above, these Great Depression photos come to life in vivid color.
Pulled out of a black-and-white wash that makes the 1930s seem like some distant past world unconnected to our own, these color images (some originally in color, others colorized later) shine with all the vibrancy of real-life and give the feeling of what it was like to actually live through the Great Depression.
After seeing these Great Depression pictures, check out these photographs of the era for New York and African-Americans. Then, have a look at some of the most incredible World War II photos in their original full color.
