Marie and Albert Kawalski of Baltimore: Albert is 10 and Marie 11 years old. They worked, with mother, last winter, shucking oysters for Varn & Beard Packing Co., Young Island, S.C. (near Charleston). Mrs. Kawalski did not have things represented to her correctly and she found that all the children that had fare paid were compelled to work for the company. Other smaller children worked some and went to school some. Maire and Albert have worked several summers in the berry, beans and tomato fields packing houses near Baltimore.

Previous Friday Morning Street Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

"6-year-old Luigi, a newsboy beggar working the public. Sacramento, California." (1915)

Previous Friday Morning Street Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

The Wilson twins on their way to the mill. Nice bonnets.

Previous Friday Morning Street Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

Photographer's notes: "Lewis and Claude have been sweeping and spinning in a South Carolina mill for several months. Could not write their own names, Stunted and immature apparently below 12 yrs." [Lewis Hine]

Previous Friday Morning Street Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

Photographer's notes: "John Holland, Said he was 10 years old. Has had a regular job for some months rolling bobbins in the Deep River Mill. Been helping the father and brother a year. Location: Randleman, North Carolina."

Previous Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

Photographer's notes: "2 A.M. February 12, 1908. Papers just out. Boys starting out on morning round. Ages 13 years and upward. At the side door of Journal Building near Brooklyn Bridge. New York, New York."

Previous Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

This photo was taken by Jenny Chandler (b. 1865) of Brooklyn, New York. Chandler was a pioneering photojournalist, a talented woman in a male-dominated field. She died in 1922 and left behind 800 delicate glass plate negatives as her legacy. Many have been digitized and can be viewed on The Henry Ford's new flickr site, here.

Check out those incredible turn-of-the-century swings!

Previous Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

A midnight crap game near the Post Office in Providence, R.I. November 23, 1912. "One 12 years old, one 14. One had been shooting here a couple of hours."

Previous Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

While not technically urchins (in my mind, urchins are kids hanging out on the street w/o parents), these are the male members of a vaudevillian troupe called the "Four Novelty Grahams" who were acrobatic performers at the Victoria Theatre in Philadelphia. The father is 23 years of age. Willie Graham (his tiny doppelganger) is 5 years of age, and Herbert Graham is 3 years of age. According to Edward F. Brown, an investigator into early child labor practices, "At 9 P.M. on June 10th, 1910, these children were performing on the stage. Four times daily they do a turn which lasts from 12 to 14 minutes. Herbert Graham, the youngest, was said by the father to have commenced performing on the stage as a[n] acrobat when he was 10 months of age. Willie, now 5, is said to be the youngest acrobat in the world. The mother of these boys was formerly a school teacher, and is now performing with this trio on the stage. The children are bright and strong, but have a playfulness about them which shows them to have forgotten the best years of childhood." Photo by Lewis W. Hine, 1910.

Previous Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

This week's urchins are from the amazing negatives of Vivian Maier that John Maloof of Chicago acquired in an auction of personal items abandoned in a storage unit. It seems like the entire Internet has been talking about this breathtaking discovery, a street photographer of obvious talent who worked in obscurity for decades only to achieve fame in October, 2009 because a flickr user discovered her life's work (which just as easily could have been hauled off to a landfill). It's the coolest story since Harvey Darger. Check out Maloof's sites, he has a real treasure.

Previous Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

Joseph Lehman, 7 years old. Sells newspapers at salloon located at 824 Third Ave., New York City. The photographer asked him about the badge he was wearing, and he said, "Oh! Dat's me bruder's."

Previous Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

Dominic M. Giouchino, 8-year-old, newspaper boy, Providence, R.I., November 1912.

Previous Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

Sam (center) Age 9, Reggie (left) age 11. Turners in a Hosiery Mill (Rome, Georgia), 1913.

Last Week's Urchin

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.

Squinty Pete, age 9, selling newspapers near Southern Pacific Depot Los Angeles. According to the photographer, "A Negro bystander said: He's de boss fighter of 5th Street."

This is the first Urchin

But if you want to see four years worth of previous Friday Morning Street Urchins, click here. 

Nearly all of these urchins were discovered in the photography archives of the Library of Congress (and available without copyright restrictions online). Otherwise, urchin photos will be credited to the appropriate photographer with a link to its source (unless they come from my own collection of photographs from unknown photographers). If there is ever a copyright concern, do not hesitate to contact me.