When the whistle blew at the end of a shift, the breaker boys of Pennsylvania's Coal Region had a day's worth of coal dust to scrub off. This Philadelphia Inquirer photograph from 1900 captures a part of everyday life for the thousands of child mineworkers at the turn of the 20th century. 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.
In 1897, a former breaker boy penned a poem in remembrance of the child laborers of the Coal Region.
The Harrisburg Telegraph published hundreds of letters to Santa Claus in its December 1904 issues. They reveal pictures of life in the first decade of the 20th century.
The Great Depression sparked a food crisis in the United States. Here's how Williamstown, PA fed hungry schoolchildren.