The little bicycle messengers of yesterday who were part of two million child laborers working in American industry in the early 20th century.
Photojournalist Lewis Hine played an integral role in the creation of child labor laws in America. Hine took a post with the National Child Labor Committee in 1908 and spent the next ten years documenting child laborers and their working conditions around America. Though real child labor reform didn’t come about until 1938, Hine’s photos nonetheless helped show America the destitute, exploitative conditions in which young children were forced to work.
As it turns out, Hines came across a lot of young bike messengers in the course of his work. As a by-product of his work for the NCLC, Hine created an amazing record of early American bike messengers and some of them, like the one of the aforementioned bad ass, are really great. Here are some of his fantastic photographs:
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Fourteen year old messenger #2 Western Union, Shreveport. Says he goes to the Red Light district all the time. Location: Shreveport, Louisiana. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
A typical messenger boy in New Orleans. The telegraph companies are trying to obey the law, and few violations occur. Location: New Orleans, Louisiana. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Willie Roberts 11 year old delivery boy in Reiss Department Store. Location: Mobile, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
A. D. T. Messenger Boy, Indianapolis, 10 P.M. Location: Indianapolis, Indiana. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
A. D. T. Messengers, Indianapolis. Aug., 1908. Location: Indianapolis, Indiana. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Messenger boy working for Mackay Telegraph Company. Said fifteen years old. Exposed to Red Light dangers. Location: Waco, Texas. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Package boy. Location: Montgomery, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Messenger boys. Work until 11 P.M. Location: New Haven, Connecticut. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
George Christopher, Postal Tel. #7, 14 years old. Been at it over 3 years. Does not work nights. Location: Nashville, Alabama [i.e., Tennessee?] |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Selling during school hours, 10:30 A.M. Location: Syracuse, New York (State) |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Postal Telegraph messenger. Location: Birmingham, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Wilbur Bold, Western Union Messenger No. 14, twelve years old, works until 11 P.M. usually, but all night when they are busy. Location: Tampa, Florida. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Leo Day, Postal Telegraph Messenger, 12 years old, and a very knowing lad. Location: Tampa, Florida. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Group of Western Union Messengers in Norfolk, Va. See also photo 2232, 2258, and report on Va. messengers. Location: Norfolk, Virginia. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Young messenger in New Bedford. Location: New Bedford, Massachusetts. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Eleven year old Western Union messenger #51. J.T. Marshall. Been day boy here for five months. Goes to Red Light district some and knows some of the girls. Location: Houston, Texas. D |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
A typical Birmingham messenger. Location: Birmingham, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
A 12 year old delivery boy for a Montgomery laundry. Makes $1.50 a week. Location: Montgomery, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Boy learning printer's trade. Location: Montgomery, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
A 10 year old delivery boy for a small department store in Opelika. Location: Opelika, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
10 year old delivery boy for an Opelika drug store. Gets $3 a week. Location: Opelika, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
An 11 year old delivery boy for an Opelika meat market. Location: Opelika, Alabama. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
"Red Line" messenger service. See night messenger report. Location: Sacramento, California |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
Jack Ryan, 6-year-old newsie, who lives at 126 1/2 W. Reno St. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. |
Amazing Vintage Photographs of Bicycle Messenger Boys Across America from the Early 20th Century
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Ben Collins, 515 N. Walnut St. Been working steady for Mackay Telegraph Co. for 1 month. 13 years old. Says he makes $5 a week. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. |