Imperial County

Brawley, Imperial County, California. "In Farm Security Administration migratory labor camp. Family of mother, father and eleven children, originally from near Mangrum, Oklahoma, where he had been tenant farmer. Came to California in 1936 after the drought. Since then has been traveling from crop to crop in California, following the harvest. Six of the eleven children attend school wherever the family stops long enough. Five older children work along with the father and mother. February 23, two of the family have been lucky and 'got a place' (a day's work) in peas on the Sinclair ranch. Father had earned about $1.73 for ten-hour day. Oldest daughter had earned $1.25. From these earnings they had to provide their transportation to the fields 20 miles away. Mother wants to return to Oklahoma, father unwilling." February 1939. Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. (Shorpy)