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The woman from the famous Great Depression photo didn't know about her fame for 40 years.
Nearly everyone across the globe knows Florence Owens Thompson's face from newspapers, magazines, and history books. The young, destitute mother was the face of The Great Depression, her worried, suntanned face looking absolutely defeated as several of her children took comfort by resting on her thin frame. Thompson put a human face and emotion behind the very real struggle of the era, but she wasn't even aware of her role in helping to bring awareness to the effects of the Great Depression on families.
It turns out that Dorothea Lange, the photographer responsible for capturing the worry-stricken mother in the now-famous photo titled "Migrant Mother," told Thompson that the photos wouldn't be published. Of course, they subsequently were published in the San Francisco News. At the time the photo was taken, Thompson was supposedly only taking respite at the migrant campsite with her seven children after the family car broke down near the campsite. The photo was taken in March 1936 in Nipomo, California when Lange was concluding a month's long photography excursion documenting migrant farm labor.
Worried mother and children during the Great Depression era.Photo by Dorothea Lange via Library of Congress
"Migrant worker" was a term used in the 30s to describe poverty-stricken Americans who moved from town to town harvesting the crops for farmers. The pay was abysmal and not enough to sustain a family, but harvesting was what Thompson knew as she was born and raised in "Indian Territory," (now Oklahoma) on a farm. Her father was Choctaw and her mother was white. After the death of her husband, Thompson supported her children the best way she knew how: working long hours in the field.
"I'd hit that cotton field before daylight and stay out there until it got so dark I couldn't see," Thompson told NBC in 1979 a few years before her death.
A mother reflects with her children during the Great Depression.Photo by Dorthea Lange via Library of Congress
When talking about meeting Thompson, Lange wrote in her article titled "The Assignment I'll Never Forget: Migrant Mother," which appeared in Popular Photography, Feb. 1960, "I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet. I do not remember how I explained my presence or my camera to her, but I do remember she asked me no questions. I made five exposures, working closer and closer from the same direction. I did not ask her name or her history. She told me her age, that she was thirty-two. She said that they had been living on frozen vegetables from the surrounding fields, and birds that the children killed."
Lange goes on to surmise that Thompson cooperated because on some level she knew the photos would help, though from Thompson's account she had no idea the photos would make it to print. Without her knowledge, Thompson became known as "The Dustbowl Mona Lisa," which didn't translate into money in the poor family's pocket. In fact, according to a history buff who goes by @baewatch86 on TikTok, Thompson didn't find out she was famous until 40 years later after a journalist tracked her down in 1978 to ask how she felt about being a famous face of the depression.
It turns out Thompson wished her photo had never been taken since she never received any funds for her likeness being used. Baewatch explains, "because Dorothea Lange's work was funded by the federal government this photo was considered public domain and therefore Mrs. Florence and her family are not entitled to the royalties."
While the photo didn't provide direct financial compensation for Thompson, the virility of it helped to feed migrant farm workers. "When these photos were published, it immediately caught people's attention. The federal government sent food and other resources to those migrant camps to help the people that were there that were starving, they needed resources and this is the catalyst. This photo was the catalyst to the government intercepting and providing aid to people," Baewatch shares.
When Thompson's health declined with age, people rallied around to help pay her medical bills citing the importance of the 1936 photo in their own lives. The "Migrant Mother" passed away in 1983, just over a week after her 80th birthday. She was buried in California.
"Florence Leona Thompson, Migrant Mother. A legend of the strength of American motherhood," her gravestone reads.
Americans have a style and personality all their own, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s just noticeable when they travel aboard. Americans often stand out because of their outgoing personalities. They are friendly and enjoy having casual conversations with strangers.
This is an endearing trait to a lot of people in more reserved cultures, although it can also come off as a little brash.
An American characteristic that isn’t quite endearing to people in other countries is that they can be rather loud. In Europe, one can always notice the Americans in the restaurant because they can be heard from across the room.
One Reddit user wanted to know the specific ways that Americans stand out when traveling abroad, so they asked the AskReddit subreddit: “What’s an obvious sign that someone is an American?”
It may not be quite this obvious, but Americans do stand out. Giphy
The post was popular, receiving nearly 6,000 responses in just 6 days. The most popular ones described how Americans' unique personalities, style of dress, dental hygiene and body language make them easy to spot.
Here are 14 “obvious” signs that someone is an American.
Americans slouch and lean. Giphy
"Apparently, the CIA trains American agents to not lean on things if they go undercover in foreign countries because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around," one user wrote.
"I bet MI6 trains British agents to lean on everything if they go undercover in America because Americans lean on anything they can while standing around," joked another.
Shockingly, this is actually true. The "American lean" is well-documented and, yes, a former CIA chief has said publicly that it's something the agency addresses with its operatives to help them blend in.
"MMDDYYYY," a user said.
The way Americans write the date seems normal and commonplace when you're in the US, but around the world, we're practically the only ones who do it that way. Similarly, only a small handful of countries outside of the US use the imperial system of measure.
Writing the date or using feet and inches are a dead giveaway!
"Anything under 4 hours is 'close by," someone suggested.
"Everything in Europe is around the corner if you're from the US. I can drive the whole day and not leave my state, but in Europe, I can pass through 4 countries in that same time frame," said another.
The massive geography of the United States has a big affect on how we see distance. It shows up when we travel to other countries that are more densely packed together.
"In the touristy cafe-restaurant I worked at:
If they asked me for the nicest spot we had
If they asked me my recommendation without seeing the menu first
I would walk to the table, and they would say right away ‘hey, how are you doing?’ This one threw me off a lot at first. Why is this person asking me how I'm doing?? I'm just there to take the order. I got used to it, and I think they found my awkwardness cute.
They would ask my name when I greeted them and took their order.
I'm Northern European.," explained one user.
"It’s under-appreciated just how polite, friendly, and sincere Americans are in general. It blew my mind the first time I came to the US, and I love that my children are growing up with those same values," said another.
You might expect to hear that Americans are rude and entitled when traveling, but that's not necessarily the case! In America, some friendly rapport with your waiter is expected, and Americans tend to be a more outgoing bunch that love to engage. That makes them stand out in European countries, in particular, where restaurant service is meant to be professional and efficient rather than charismatic.
Americans love huge water bottles. Giphy
"I was told, 'Americans carry water bottles around like they're worried they'll never have access to clean water ever again," one user said.
"I don't care what anyone says. If you think carrying a water bottle when walking a lot is weird, you're probably slightly dehydrated all the time and are just desensitized to it. You seriously need to drink water frequently if you want to be ideally healthy," said another.
The water bottle fad is uniquely American, for better or worse. Whether it's a Yeti, a Stanley, an Owalla, or something else, you can bet if someone is swinging a massive water bottle wherever they walk, they're an American.
"I was in Germany this past summer, and I realized smiling at everyone you make eye contact with is very American. When I went to London on the same trip, they seemed less weirded out by it but would awkwardly return the smile. I was taught to always start with a disarming smile. Never realized it was American," said one person.
Americans love tons of ice in their drinks. Giphy
"I spent a year in Europe completely iceless to the point I forgot that was a thing. I stopped at a bar in Chicago fresh off the plane and not only did I get free tap water, but water with ice. I instantly felt at home," added one person.
There is a long and fascinating history involving someone called "The Ice King" behind why Americans, and so few other cultures, love to put tons of ice in our drinks. Needless to say, it makes us stand out like a sore thumb when traveling.
"As an American man, I’ve been told repeatedly by European and Asian friends that we simply take up space (not by being fat) as though we’re entitled to it. Men in other countries apparently don’t claim the same personal space we do," one person offered.
You mean manspreading? Apparently, other cultures don't do that.
Americans value ultra-white teeth. Giphy
"It’s even more bizarre that they assume we have braces or bleach our teeth because they’re straight and white. I have naturally straight white teeth. I brush them twice a day so they stay white. I don’t do anything special to them, but I remember being in London and some similar-aged students literally making fun of me for my teeth… it’s true that they don’t naturally look like headstones in an ancient graveyard, but there’s no need to make fun," someone added.
Imagine getting made fun of for having white teeth! For one reason or another, American culture places high value on having extremely white teeth. We all know the old jokes about British teeth, but some findings show that while Americans' teeth may be whiter, Brits may be healthier overall. Something to think about.
"My friend went to Germany recently, and what people said about Americans is you can spot them a mile away because they’re the ones wearing pajamas in public. Apparently, in other countries, at least Germany, they dress a little more formally and in less baggy clothes than we do in America," someone added.
Activewear, sweatpants, pajamas — we love to be comfortable! But it does make us a bit obvious when we're out and about in other countries.
Americans wear hats... everywhere. Giphy
"Baseball cap... even on an infant riding in a pram," a user suggested.
Baseball hats are common in many countries around the world, but most people internationally only wear them outside. If someone's wearing a cap inside or at a restaurant, it's a safe bet that person is American.
"Americans are shoe snobs (they don’t think they are, but they are). Setting aside wealthier business types, Americans generally wear more on-brand, on-trend, high-quality shoes than others," someone said.
Americans' default volume is loud. Giphy
"That was my first thought. Americans yell at each other in normal conversation in public. I noticed it years ago in Europe, and now I can’t stand it in the US," another user added.
Now there's an unsurprising revelation! Just like our tendency to take up space, Americans seem to have less awareness of those around them when it comes to conversation volume, as well.
"Immediately asking someone what they do for a living when meeting them. Our jobs and work are our entire identity," one person said.
"I hate that about American culture. I'm an American and recently became a SAHM, so I don't have an answer to 'What do you do for a living?' Half the time, I add the caveat, ‘Oh, my last job was with Apple,’ so that I'm not written off as an unemployed ‘loser.’ But it really is dumb to determine a person's worth by what they do in order to afford food and shelter," added another.
There are huge differences in work culture between America and other countries. They're so big and pervasive that they show up not just while we're working, but in the way we interact with others. For example, in Europe it's far less common to be friends with your coworkers. People value the purpose they find in work and the results, but are happy to keep the majority of their life separate from their career.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
Dad gives son chess piece at college drop-off, now everyone's crying
Many families have traditions that they've always done. Some of them have been passed down for so long that they have no idea where or why the tradition started. But some families don't have traditions at all or if they do, they don't feel like significant things that should continue with the next generations. While some family traditions are started on accident, some are much more intentional and they have to start somewhere.
A proud mom captured the emotional moment that her husband started a family tradition with their oldest son. The parents were recently dropping their first child off at college, likely ahead of football camp. Right before the final goodbyes, the dad pulls out a gift for the new college student. It looked to be a large wooden king chess piece but before giving it to his son he explains the reason for the gift.
Checkmate in progress on a sunlit chessboard.Photo credit: Canva
The emotional exchange between father and son was uploaded to social media by the boy's mother, Vakisla Milliner. It has more than 400K views and over 4,000 comments from heart-warmed viewers. In the caption of the video Milliner writes, "We took our oldest son to college last weekend! I had the honor and pleasure of capturing a moment between a father and his son. Filled with raw and unfiltered emotions! They didn’t know that I was capturing this beautiful moment! A king always has a move and this here was a King a move"
On the hood of the car there's a University of Miami duffle bag where the father pulls the chess piece from before starting to explain the seemingly odd gift to his son.
"College Ahead" sign against a clear sky.Photo credit: Canva
"My father didn't get to bring me to college, dog," the dad starts. "This is a king," he ekes out through the emotions clearly welling up in his throat, "this is a king, cause you're a king and whenever you feel like the world is coming down on you and ain't sh*t going your way, take your time, sit back and think bro cause you always have a move, protect the king. It means protect yourself. We don't have tradition in a lot of Black families so I'm starting one with you and then your brother."
The tearful dad tells the boy that the king that he's holding is his and he needs to protect it. He shares that he's been hard on his son due to people underestimating the young man's abilities as he was always the smallest on the team. The dad explains that his toughness was to get his son to that moment–college. Later in the video the dad tells his son that he would like for the college student to continue the tradition when his own children go off to college. Though many tears and several hugs, the video ended with the son taking the chess piece to carry with him and remind him of the promise he just made to his father–protect the king.
People were moved by the proud moment that not only sent a first born off to college but started a new tradition, one person writes "As soon as dad teared up, the tears fell immediately! This was beautiful!"
Another shares, "Dad to dad, I’m in tears. You made it son!!! Make that man proud. Be good, stay in school man. That man loves you bro. God bless you son."
"I can’t stop crying parenting is a thankless job but the most rewarding when you see what they grow up to be, bless him" someone else cries.
Smiling student with backpack and book outdoors.Photo credit: Canva
"This speaks volume to ANY ethnic background! We need to speak LIFE into this world’s youth!!! THEY hold the key to the future!!! BE THE KING AND NOT THE JOKER!" a fellow dad writes.
"This was so powerful. I love when men show raw emotion. What a beautiful moment to share!" a commenter shares.
Another dad chimes in "Dad to dad, you have done an outstanding job! I hope when my kids are older i can be as strong and amazing as you just showed right now."
We all need a reality check from time to time.
We all know that the level of fitness achieved by celebrities we see on television isn’t attainable for many, if not most everyday people. And yet, when their sculpted bodies grace our screens, it can still activate a little voice that says “clearly you’re not doing enough."
That’s why it’s so helpful and grounding when a celebrity is actually transparent about the work it takes to achieve their physique, so that it might quiet that self deprecating narrative and help us get a little more realistic about achieving whatever fitness goals we might have. Jessica Biel’s recent response to a fan who asked her to share her workout routine is a perfect example of that.
It all started with a clip from her Prime Video thriller series, The Better Sister, where she plays a super fit character…as is evident by how clearly toned she looks in a backless white dress worn during the show’s opening.
Several women have shared the clip on TikTok, while muttering something along the lines of “I need to get back to the gym.” One person even asked Biel to share the workout routine she does in order to get that toned. Biel saw the request, and acquiesced…but not without delivering a truth bomb or two.
“Everyone is talking…about the white dress…and I just wanted to share that that peak shape in that show is not maintainable unless you are living the strictest, most rigid lifestyle with your nutrition and with your fitness,” she said, admitting that not even she, someone who’s been notably lean and athletic their entire adult life, who has access to the best foods, best gym equipment, etc. etc., can sustain that look indefinitely.
This bit of candidness incited a whole slew of praise in the comments section, from folks who thanked Biel for "being so real."
“THANK YOU for saying that many if not most actors look amazing for a moment in time during shooting and that it is incredibly hard to enjoy life and look like that all the time,” on person wrote.
Another said, “Thank you for speaking about the lifestyle that comes with maintaining! this kind of transparency is so important 🙏🏼.”
But Biel didn’t stop there. She also took the opportunity to raise awareness on how important it is, especially for women, to prioritize maintaining muscle strength and flexibility as you get older…not just achieving an aesthetic goal, or, for the love of all that is holy, getting skinnier.
And, as requested, she did end up sharing a sample lower body workout routine—something she’s currently doing to get back in Better Sister shape—which consisted of dumbbell exercises like hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts, as well as curls with a large stability ball and banded kickbacks.
She was even so kind as to break down proper form for all the moves, and didn’t edit out her being out of breath at the end of the routine, saying, “my body’s not twenty years old anymore, you know?” She’s a real one for that. For sure.
Biel then concluded her video by saying, “let’s get older and stronger together.”
Biel performing a Romanian deadlift as part of her lower body routine. @jessbiel/TikTok
The video garnered a lot of gratitude from viewers, who commended Biel for “keeping it real” and “being a great advocate for women.”
"JB is a girl's girl," one person gushed.
At the end of the day, it is possible for us to achieve amazing fitness goals all while juggling what life throws our way. But we are doing ourselves a disservice to think that a) it can be done with a quick fix and zero lifestyle changes, and b) that we are supposed to remain at peak fitness levels 24/7. Not even the pros do that.
If getting more fit is a goal of yours, rather than simply stealing Biel's routine, it might be beneficial to also try to adopt her mindset about it all as well. Just sayin’.
Luckily, if you are still on the hunt for a Biel-approved workout, one of her long-time trainers, Ben Bruno, does have fitness programs to try out.
Here's to getting older and stronger together.
