Child labor in U.S. in early 20th century: How fears of a stunted generation led to social reform
The demand for child labor was a result of the boom in industry at the end of the 19th century. Businesses sought immigrant and child workers to complete cheap work.
Many saw children, with their small hands and energy, as ideal employees. The majority sustained broken bones and suffered from stunted growth and curvature of the spine because of the unsafe conditions and worked long hours on poor pay.
But at the turn of the century, some reformists started voicing their concerns over the children's welfare and the negative effects on their education.
Newsboy Hyman Alpert, 12, had been selling newspapers for three years when this photo was taken in March 1909, in New Haven, Connecticut
There were fears the practice would stunt America in years to come because of a high number of overworked, under-educated youths.
Set up in 1904, the National Child Labor Committee worked state by state to lobby legislatures to adopt regulations.
In 1915, its efforts started to focus on the federal level.
In 1916, Congress agreed to pass legislation to protect children and restrictions were placed on the employment of children aged under 14 in factories and shops.
And in 1938, after a series of failed or retracted laws, the Committee supported the Fair Labor Standards Act, which prohibited any interstate commerce of goods made through oppressive child labor.
UNICEF estimates that 168million children aged five to 17 are currently involved in forced labor.
However, globally, the incidence of child labor has decreased from 25 per cent to 10 per cent from 1960 to 2003.
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