The Progressive Era extended from 1890-1920. It was a time of great change in the U.S. caused by a group of people called the Progressives who noticed social injustices in the country and wanted to do something about it. Many of the Progressives, also known as "Muckrakers", used photography as a method of letting the public know about these injustices. Progressives John Spargo and Lincoln Steffens were both famous for their articles "The Bitter Cry of the Children" and "The Shame of the Cities"; these articles displayed brutal images of child labor and other social illnesses. Articles like these helped inform the public and show them how bad conditions actually were, creating support for the Progressive Movement. Progressives hated the fact that the government wasn't especially open about the poor conditions in work places and slums. They didn't like social inequality either and devoted a lot of their time to women's rights issues as well as anti-foreignism issues. The Progressives were able to achieve a lot of their goals such as Women's Suffrage and getting rid of Child Labor. The Progressive Era helped purify America in a time of need.
Young girls working hard in the fields. (Museum of the City of New York)
Young boys after coming out of the mines. The mines were very dangerous, especially for children. (Museum of the City of New York)
Young boy after a long day at work. (Museum of the City of New York)
Lodgers in a crowded Bayard Street tenement - "Five cents a spot." (Museum of the City of New York)
A man atop a make-shift bed that consists of a plank across two barrels.. (New York Times)