African American Florida Family Going to NJ to Pick Potatoes, Jack Delano, 1940

The photo of an African American girl looking at the photographer, Jack Delano, while being part of a group of migrant workers from Florida on their way to New Jersey to pick potatoes was taken in 1940. Jack Delano was a photographer for the Farm Security Administration (FSA), a New Deal agency established in the 1930s to help improve the living and working conditions of rural Americans during the Great Depression.

As part of his work for the FSA, Delano documented the lives of migrant workers, including African Americans, who were traveling from the rural South to the urban North in search of work and better living conditions. This photo of an African American girl, oblivious to the conversation going on around her, captures a moment in the journey of these migrant workers and offers a glimpse into the lives and experiences of African Americans during this time period.

The girl in the photo, who appears to be looking directly at the photographer, may symbolize the innocence and hope of these migrant workers, despite the challenges and hardships they faced. The fact that she is unaware of the conversation taking place around her may also highlight the difficulties that many migrant workers, including African Americans, faced in adapting to new environments and navigating the complexities of life in the urban North.

Overall, this photo by Jack Delano is a valuable historical document that provides a glimpse into the lives of African American migrant workers during a time of great challenge and change. Through his work, Delano helped to shed light on the lives and experiences of rural Americans and to document an important period in the history of the United States.