Sharecropper's cabin and sharecropper's wife, 10 miles south of Jackson, Mississippi 1937

Dorothea Lange made this photograph, "Sharecropper's Cabin and Sharecropper's Wife," south of Jackson, Mississippi, using her camera as a tool for social commentary. Made during the Great Depression, this image encapsulates the dire economic conditions faced by many African American families in the rural South. The sharecropping system, though technically not slavery, perpetuated a cycle of poverty and dependence that kept families like this one in a state of near-perpetual servitude. The woman’s weary expression and the cabin’s dilapidated condition speak volumes about the hardships of this way of life. Lange worked for the Farm Security Administration, and her images were intended to raise awareness and advocate for government assistance. To truly understand this photograph, one must delve into the history of the Jim Crow South, the legacy of slavery, and the policies of the New Deal. Historical documents, census records, and oral histories can provide further insight into the lives and struggles of sharecroppers during this era. Only by understanding the social and institutional context can we fully appreciate the power and poignancy of Lange's work.