Browse Exhibits (1 total)

This particular exhibit examines the lives of migrant or Okie children in California during the 1930s, especially in the context of labor, recreation, and family.  The roles of children-- like Ruthie and Winfield Joad from John Steinbeck's novel Grapes of Wrath-- shift dramatically as the needs and goals of the families also shift during the Dust Bowl Migration, on the road to the promised land of California.  Through photos, audio recordings, and more, "Migrant Children" effectively provides a lens into the forgotten lives of the youngest generation that experienced the overlooked tribulations and experiences such as: losing one’s home or land, moving an entire family across country, living in government camps or Hoovervilles, and even starvation and hunger.  Included sources seek to assist in building a more comprehensive understanding regarding how such a major historical event may have effected, or interrupted, the youthful sentience of childhood.  In Grapes of Wrath for example, the obstacles the Joad family encounters arguably have lasting effects on the youngest children, Winfield and Ruthie. Upon leaving Oklahoma, the world as they know it changes before their eyes, and everything becomes a brand new experience, like using toilets or picking peaches.  Overall, the exhibit "Migrant Children" captures both the mystery and hardship faced by Okie youth of migrant families, such as Winfield and Ruthie, in an effort to discover and share an entirely different perspective concerning migration to California, or what it means to build a new life from nothing in California in the 30s, especially as kid.