In 1911, activist Lewis Hine found 13-year-old Willie Brieden working as a nipper 500 feet underground in Pittston, PA - alone in the dark, opening heavy doors as gas hissed nearby. Days later, Willie was home sick, coughing from endless hours in the damp mine. A childhood bent to anthracite's demands, captured in one image. Read the full story.
Lewis W. Hine’s photograph reveals the faces of breaker boys, children working in harsh conditions for meager pay. Witness their stories and learn how these images sparked national reform against child labor. A haunting, pivotal chapter in Coal Region history. Read the full story.
In 1878, Superintendent Joseph Anthony’s report showed nearly 700 workers—including over 180 boys—at Williamstown Colliery. Boys as young as eight worked underground or picked slate in the breaker, all for meager wages. This data highlights the stark realities of child labor in Pennsylvania’s anthracite industry. Read the full story.
Meet Joseph Puma, a young Sicilian immigrant caught in the harsh world of Pennsylvania coal mining in 1911. Captured by Lewis Hine’s lens, his story spans from the dark tunnels of Pittston to serving overseas during World War I. Read the full story.
Explore Lewis Hine’s 1911 photograph of breaker boys in Pittston, Pennsylvania, capturing the harsh realities of child labor in the coal mines. This image, part of Hine’s work for the National Child Labor Committee, highlights the young workers’ lives and the efforts to reform labor practices. Read the Full Story.
These young Pennsylvania mineworkers had a crucial job to fulfill in the underground labyrinths of the anthracite collieries.