Art
In 1911 Alabama, child labor was ordinary. While older siblings worked factory floors, young Julia stayed home minding the baby and shucking oysters for the cannery. This photograph documents how family survival often meant every member—even the very young—had a job.
Art · Full story
Julia's small hands move across the oyster shells, the same motions her mother taught her. The baby fusses nearby. Outside, the Alabama heat settles thick. She listens for footsteps—her older siblings returning from the factory, her parents checking the work pile. There is no school today, no playground. There is only the next shell.
Reflect
How did your own childhood chores compare to Julia's daily work responsibilities?