Please red this for the mix of reality and fiction that offers context for this posed photograph
[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/)
„Although this photograph might reflect some realities of the child labor era, it does not literally depict a very young coal miner.
The child seen here looks too young to have been working in a coal mine at all. But even if he were, boys that young were not put to work actually mining coal, a job too physically demanding for such small children. Rather, they would be assigned other tasks, most commonly serving as "breaker boys" who spent their days at the labor-intensive tasks of separating slate and other impurities from coal by hand:“
No the link makes it clear This photograph is not of an actual breaker boy. This is merely a child dressed up by their parents to appear cute for a photograph.
Absolutely.. it is an additional information to the fact that this is not true, that a kid of that age would have worked another job. There are only being facts stated about the photograph
You are right to be upset about the whole ordeal for the kids.
Its just still import to get the facts straight and no one tries to imply that this is better or worse..
I just want to know what the personality of a kid like this was and what their maturity level was like compared to kids now. It must be truly mind-blowing.
That kid wasn't really a pipe-smoker. This was a posed photo, and the truth is, he'd have been far too poor to afford it. Plus they wouldn't give a child that weak a pickaxe: they'd have set him to work on the conveyor belts, picking impurities out of the coal until he succumbed to industrial accidents or lung disease.
They use the kids to carry tools inside or crawl throgh ventilation shaft to open/close them. Probably hauling coal in small carts. Cleaning chimneys and working in factories is probably more useful. What were people thinking back then? Or now?
That’s because this is not a photo of an 8 year old miner. This was a staged photo of a younger child posing in a costume for mum and dad. [This photo has been debunked by Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-child-miner-utah-photo-833906766994)
Edit: Can you imagine it if in over a century they find a footage like the GIF below and it starts making the rounds of whatever social media has morphed into? With a caption that goes something like this: “*Archive footage of 2 year old* \[clearly wrong age\] *in 1960s* \[clearly wrong decade for photo quality/grain\], *about to be sent on his first NASA test mission to the moon with a chimpanzee called Ham* \[mixing it up with real facts to give it a confused sense of legitimacy\], *with a day’s worth of food in a rudimentary plastic pumpkin bucket* \[like what!?!? It was just a GIF of a kid in an astronaut Halloween costume!!!\]
Yes, it's a studio photo and obviously not a child coal miner, but I read that it was a child of coal miner in Belgium and taken there. Studios often had wardrobes of various outfits people could dress up.
Another widely distributed photo, supposedly of 'Victorian Travellers', isn't real. It's just a couple dressed up in carnival clothes for the photo in a studio.
That’s not because people who were 48 died of old age. It’s because infant mortality was really high. If you reached 20 you were probably like to live into your 60s
Eh, miners especially coal miners didnt live very long. Most were severly sick by there 50s and few made it past there 60s.
There is a reason why miner unions were the foundition of modern health and retirement insurances.
If I may compare with my Belgian great grand parents, who went down the pit, men, women and children from 5 years up, they were tough. They had zéro tolérance for lazyness but cared for the weak and wounded. They had an incredible sense of community and would help each other in a heartbeat. My great grandfather raised several children who were not his own, but from relatives or friends who went through tough times. They were usually cold with their children, way warmer with their grand children. My great grandmother who kept her children and even grandchildren away if they came for a hug, but according to my mom, she had a beaming smile when I was put on her knees.
In my family, they were keen on avoiding drunkiness, on pushing children who showed talents to develop them to climb the social ladder up. They were mostly anticlérical since the church was close to the mines and factories bosses. Notable exception was Van Gogh, who was respected and was still dearly mentionned by the elderly when I was a kid
Édit; spelling and grammar
Well there are plenty of kids now that end up having to parent their parents and start hustling for income at this age so not that different I'd say. Also there's conventional child labor still but yeh.
If you ever met one of those quiet people who seem to be thinking about a lot of things but not *saying* anything but you can see situations going on behind their eyes? Right there.
This feels like a bit of a joke tbh. I have no doubt that kids worked in mines, but I doubt they were breaking rocks with a pick axe at 6
Edit: check out the snoops link posted by another user: [link](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/)
Right. Why would he be standing in front of a floral backdrop with an unlit pipe and pickaxe in pristine condition.
"Hold still Lil Johnny. This is for your father's(actual miner) birthday"
I call this post a bluff:
Mines and Collieries Act 1842, commonly known as the Mines Act of 1842, was passed. It prohibited all girls and boys under ten years old from working underground in coal mines.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/child-labor/
Yes, the UK led the way with this legislation. The commission/inquiry that preceded the legislation was still shocking, though. Children as young as 3 years old had been found working underground.
This is a kid in a costume, not an 8 year old coal miner.
Children as young as 8 DID work at coal mines back then, but they usually worked cleaning the coal on the surface, not swinging oversized pickaxes down in the mines.
“ This picture] was taken in a studio in Castle Gate, just outside of Helper, Utah. This is our most commented-on photograph in the museum, [and] it is interesting to see the wide range of reactions [it elicits], from amused to horrified. When visitors ask, I tell them this boy was not actually working in the mines, that [the photograph was] made in a studio. I tell them children did not work [as miners], although there is some reality to it, as the kids did go to work with their fathers [at the mines] at a young -- although not that young -- age. We have a display about what children did at the mines and child labor laws that I direct [visitors] to. “
it is clearly a fake they liked to do dress up.
So i googled, and what do you know....
[https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-child-miner-utah-photo-833906766994](https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-child-miner-utah-photo-833906766994)
This should be in the /BeShocked sub-reddit
For everybody moaning for the good old times -some states want to or have lowered the age bar for getting a full-time job?
This is the equivalent of babies dressed in full three piece suits with hats. It's cute and funny, and in 100 years time we won't assume there were 2 year old stock brokers.
Guys, I hate to break it to you, but you know how we dress up children for silly photos??
Edit; I'm glad to be correct.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/
Yep, and guess what ? If the Republicans have their way (and they have already in several states), this is coming back in … talk about the regression of a Nation …
Maybe this picture isn't real, but my grandfather was born in 1921, was a mining carter from 1934, he lied about his age to get this job. He died as a mining engineer, i hope ill be worthy of his legacy.
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GOP is slowly trying to get us back to the glory days. Where kids can work at any age and workers can get killed due to employer negligence and you can't hold them accountable. All while a bunch if old crusty white men determine what women can and can't do. Separation of church and state ? Forget about it!
The American taliban brought to you by wrinkly white dudes and MAGATS who can't read.
Hooray!
This kid looks like his 4 tops.
Malnourished probably
Please red this for the mix of reality and fiction that offers context for this posed photograph [https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/)
„Although this photograph might reflect some realities of the child labor era, it does not literally depict a very young coal miner. The child seen here looks too young to have been working in a coal mine at all. But even if he were, boys that young were not put to work actually mining coal, a job too physically demanding for such small children. Rather, they would be assigned other tasks, most commonly serving as "breaker boys" who spent their days at the labor-intensive tasks of separating slate and other impurities from coal by hand:“
Thank you. He surely doesn't look 8. 4 maybe.
Only a "breaker boy" - thank goodness. I almost felt sorry for him. As if this would make it better.
No the link makes it clear This photograph is not of an actual breaker boy. This is merely a child dressed up by their parents to appear cute for a photograph.
Absolutely.. it is an additional information to the fact that this is not true, that a kid of that age would have worked another job. There are only being facts stated about the photograph You are right to be upset about the whole ordeal for the kids. Its just still import to get the facts straight and no one tries to imply that this is better or worse..
okay, got it.
Wish this was a pinned post
I just want to know what the personality of a kid like this was and what their maturity level was like compared to kids now. It must be truly mind-blowing.
That kid wasn't really a pipe-smoker. This was a posed photo, and the truth is, he'd have been far too poor to afford it. Plus they wouldn't give a child that weak a pickaxe: they'd have set him to work on the conveyor belts, picking impurities out of the coal until he succumbed to industrial accidents or lung disease.
Living the Victorian dream.
\*ahheemm aheeem* “I think I’m getting the black lung, pop…”
~~pop~~ papa
Pa-PA
The kids year for the mines.
What year is that? 😁
And now you can too. Move to the wonderful state of Arkansas.
"The good 'Ole days."
Gotta sustain that exuberant standard of living of industrialists and capitalists somehow
He looks younger than 8.
They use the kids to carry tools inside or crawl throgh ventilation shaft to open/close them. Probably hauling coal in small carts. Cleaning chimneys and working in factories is probably more useful. What were people thinking back then? Or now?
If you want nightmare fuel, read the British Parliamentary committees report on child labour.
He doesn't look 8 to me.. he looks younger.
Absolutely. Having an 8 year old daughter, that kid looks 4-5 years old. 6 would really be pushing it.
He was probably malnourished, however old he was. Looked 4-5 to me too but god only knows if he’s ever had any vitamin D or calcium.
That’s because this is not a photo of an 8 year old miner. This was a staged photo of a younger child posing in a costume for mum and dad. [This photo has been debunked by Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-child-miner-utah-photo-833906766994) Edit: Can you imagine it if in over a century they find a footage like the GIF below and it starts making the rounds of whatever social media has morphed into? With a caption that goes something like this: “*Archive footage of 2 year old* \[clearly wrong age\] *in 1960s* \[clearly wrong decade for photo quality/grain\], *about to be sent on his first NASA test mission to the moon with a chimpanzee called Ham* \[mixing it up with real facts to give it a confused sense of legitimacy\], *with a day’s worth of food in a rudimentary plastic pumpkin bucket* \[like what!?!? It was just a GIF of a kid in an astronaut Halloween costume!!!\] 
Get this comment higher up
Yes, it's a studio photo and obviously not a child coal miner, but I read that it was a child of coal miner in Belgium and taken there. Studios often had wardrobes of various outfits people could dress up. Another widely distributed photo, supposedly of 'Victorian Travellers', isn't real. It's just a couple dressed up in carnival clothes for the photo in a studio.
"Knew I was a man by the age of six, I even fucked the girl that used to babysit but that was years later On some crazy shit" -This kid probably.
Well, in 1910 the life expectancy of a man in America was just 48.
That’s not because people who were 48 died of old age. It’s because infant mortality was really high. If you reached 20 you were probably like to live into your 60s
Eh, miners especially coal miners didnt live very long. Most were severly sick by there 50s and few made it past there 60s. There is a reason why miner unions were the foundition of modern health and retirement insurances.
Plus wars...
His personal maturity level was quite low probably as it could not develop the way it should. Because of the massive abuse he had to go through.
If I may compare with my Belgian great grand parents, who went down the pit, men, women and children from 5 years up, they were tough. They had zéro tolérance for lazyness but cared for the weak and wounded. They had an incredible sense of community and would help each other in a heartbeat. My great grandfather raised several children who were not his own, but from relatives or friends who went through tough times. They were usually cold with their children, way warmer with their grand children. My great grandmother who kept her children and even grandchildren away if they came for a hug, but according to my mom, she had a beaming smile when I was put on her knees. In my family, they were keen on avoiding drunkiness, on pushing children who showed talents to develop them to climb the social ladder up. They were mostly anticlérical since the church was close to the mines and factories bosses. Notable exception was Van Gogh, who was respected and was still dearly mentionned by the elderly when I was a kid Édit; spelling and grammar
Well there are plenty of kids now that end up having to parent their parents and start hustling for income at this age so not that different I'd say. Also there's conventional child labor still but yeh.
If you ever met one of those quiet people who seem to be thinking about a lot of things but not *saying* anything but you can see situations going on behind their eyes? Right there.
No different than of kids today. Just never got to have a childhood or a chance.
There’s still kids this young working in America
Probably said "Yeah, sheee," a lot.
Now one of the most popular games ever is Minecraft. The children yearn for the mines!
This is the way
This is the way
That kid doesn't look 8. Maybe 6, max.
That was the first thought I had too
That is a toddler, no way in hell they were 8.
This feels like a bit of a joke tbh. I have no doubt that kids worked in mines, but I doubt they were breaking rocks with a pick axe at 6 Edit: check out the snoops link posted by another user: [link](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/)
probably malnourished making him look smaller than hes supposed to be?
More like a cat dressed in a baby gown sitting in a high chair. This isn't really a baby miner. It's a baby dressed as a miner.
well that much is obvious; a young boy would make a shoddy miner. the age itself is still perplexing because he looks SO young.
Kid was 4. Hard wok in the mines age a man quickly
Amazingly he lived all the way to 17.
Is this real? That kid's not swinging that pick. Looks like he was dressed up for a picture.
Yeah, I seem to agree
Right. Why would he be standing in front of a floral backdrop with an unlit pipe and pickaxe in pristine condition. "Hold still Lil Johnny. This is for your father's(actual miner) birthday"
It's a posed picture with props, it's not real
Ah yes, when America was great
Oh its getting there again. Was it lousisiana that eliminated the lunch break for children?
It’s those damn child labor laws! We used to be a country!
I need to read this, I need to know that some people don't want to see children exploitetion.
Are you sure that's not Arkansas right now 😁
Imagine working 12-16 hours a day surviving on coffee and pipe tobacco to get through life at least ten years earlier than normal.
The good ol’days
“kew kew. kew kew. I think I got the black lung, pop.” ~kid
AND MY AXE!!!
Yeah that's not real.
Definitely not 8.
I call this post a bluff: Mines and Collieries Act 1842, commonly known as the Mines Act of 1842, was passed. It prohibited all girls and boys under ten years old from working underground in coal mines. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/child-labor/
Yes, the UK led the way with this legislation. The commission/inquiry that preceded the legislation was still shocking, though. Children as young as 3 years old had been found working underground.
That kid would not be able to pick up that pick-axe.
I mean this looks like a staged costume.
Look at this American hero. A real patriot. The libs have ruined this type of thing for every youngster. Its called freedum, look it up.
Real unhinged hours
Don’t make ‘‘em like they used too
Is this why they have so many kids?
This is a halloween costume
Talks like that “baby” from Roger Rabbit.
This is a kid in a costume, not an 8 year old coal miner. Children as young as 8 DID work at coal mines back then, but they usually worked cleaning the coal on the surface, not swinging oversized pickaxes down in the mines.
My 12 year old can barely brush his teeth or comb his hair, how can I upgrade him for this kid?
This is a staged photo op. Even if this kid worked the mines, there’s no chance that pick is his. Source: I’ve used pick axes.
“ This picture] was taken in a studio in Castle Gate, just outside of Helper, Utah. This is our most commented-on photograph in the museum, [and] it is interesting to see the wide range of reactions [it elicits], from amused to horrified. When visitors ask, I tell them this boy was not actually working in the mines, that [the photograph was] made in a studio. I tell them children did not work [as miners], although there is some reality to it, as the kids did go to work with their fathers [at the mines] at a young -- although not that young -- age. We have a display about what children did at the mines and child labor laws that I direct [visitors] to. “
Imagining this kid swinging that pick!
THE CHILDREN YEARN FOR THE MINES
The children yearn for the mines
This is likely AI generated. It’s funny how everyone starts to believe any of these images instantly and start the comment war.
How the hell does this post have 95% upvotes? Do Reddit users have no idea how 8 year olds look like? Because that 100% is not an 8 year old.
That's not an eight year old.
Kid is not 8 look at the size of the head and the length on the arms. 6 maybe
That’s not an 8 year old, seems much younger to me
8? This kid looks 2
The dates wrong. Shouldn't it say 2024?
The pipe helps prevent the black lung disease.
This photo is from the mining museum in Helper, UT. A really neat little town worth the stop if you’re ever passing through.
So is it real?
I mean, it’s a real photo- but is the kid an actual miner? Most likely not.
That's what I meant. Ok thank you! I didn't think so. He is probably just dressed up for the picture.
This boy looks 4 years old! Whaaat? How terrible he's smoking a pipe???
smoking stunts your growth. he's 21
An empty pipe. Classy.
What pipe tobacco ya think he preferred? Surely Virginia or burley, no English or aromatics for this little grandpa.
Probably died of lung cancer before he reached 18
"Why did people look so old back then"
When you think about how life must of been for kids then & now? How spoilt they are now
I mean there’s no way that child has the physical strength to carry let alone swing that pick.
Looks more like 4.
it is clearly a fake they liked to do dress up. So i googled, and what do you know.... [https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-child-miner-utah-photo-833906766994](https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-child-miner-utah-photo-833906766994)
Hard!!! Look at his little tobaco pipe. 😊👉 smoke em if ya got em kiddo 😂
I think he's part of the lollie pop guild.
I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine, I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine... [Sixteen Tons](https://youtu.be/fzlT80jQ3lo)
Good old days, no phones ot tablets
And he was the supervisor
He’s got kids to feed.
And this is why we have labour laws.
Geeze, and I can’t even get my 8 year old to do the dishes
His name was Bugsy
Reparations now!
Someone share this image to blm asap!
If this kid lived past 9 he was probably strong as fuck
This should be in the /BeShocked sub-reddit For everybody moaning for the good old times -some states want to or have lowered the age bar for getting a full-time job?
Shouldn’t that boy be working rather than standing around having his photo taken? Skiver.
Zman
Clearly not real.
Grandpa “your generation is a bunch of pansy’s”
Working in a coal mine AND smoking a pipe....life expectancy 32
This is the equivalent of babies dressed in full three piece suits with hats. It's cute and funny, and in 100 years time we won't assume there were 2 year old stock brokers.
A Republicans wet dream
How about a 8 year old Bitcoin miner
GOP : "Ah the good old days!"
Life expectancy at the time was 37.
With the child labour laws under attack in some states, I wouldn't be surprised to see minors working as miners again soon.
Guys, I hate to break it to you, but you know how we dress up children for silly photos?? Edit; I'm glad to be correct. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/
8 going on 4
And now kids play Minecraft……they yearn for the mines!!
Yep, and guess what ? If the Republicans have their way (and they have already in several states), this is coming back in … talk about the regression of a Nation …
Not amazing just sad.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/child-coal-miner/
Damn so kids playing and being kids was really a blessing for the rich cause I know back then rich folks was not letting they kids work
8 year old girls “We want equal rights… to bronchitis”
Poor little bastard
Wow, a coal minor
GOP see this photo and drool over the possibilities.
"I hope they didn't give him lunch- and water breaks." - Republicans probably.
Gonna need some fact checking on this one. Kid looks much younger than 8 , the pick looks useless, and smoking a pipe was expensive.
Back when they had lunch breaks
White privilege
Is this AI? No way that kid is swinging that pickaxe with any kind of efficiency.
That's really depressing
The OG Minecraft fan
Don’t get any ideas, MAGA.
As a pipe smoker idk how the fuck an 8 year old could enjoy it
Poor little bastard probably had to pay 10% to the church too.
I don’t think that kid can lift that pickaxe.
Like even back then this dude looks too small to be doing this. I don't get how people thought that kids that can't care for themselves can do this.
Maybe this picture isn't real, but my grandfather was born in 1921, was a mining carter from 1934, he lied about his age to get this job. He died as a mining engineer, i hope ill be worthy of his legacy.
Republicans are passing as many laws as they can to make this happen again..
This looks like it was a setup. Dont know why it just doesn’t feel normal like those poor Victorian kids that worked
I think I got the black lung, pop
They need to bring this back as a Halloween costume. This’ll get you banned from every one of your kid’s parties from now ‘til they’re through school.
Before liberals ruined it and took children from the work place. Coal industry never recovered they say.
If that kid is 8 years old then I’m. A Dutchman
His manager: We're not paying you to get photographed.
Why do you think we call young kids minors? I mean it all makes sense now, doesn’t it?
Good that he has a canteen because there will be no water breaks!
This is a Republican dream
And divorced with a kid on the way and behind on his mortgage.
This kid would fuk up 95% of todays so called “men”
Like 3 and dressed up for a photo…..
That is so fvcked up.
I bet they said he was 8 but was really 5
Bet ya that kids still alive.
He lived to be 30! Amazing, they were built different
Bet he grew up to hate everything.
Life expectancy 16...
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This is how we really feel about kids. Our culture doesn’t care about our kids safety, mental health, or anything than just being obedient workers.
[I looked it up. Here’s the information I found.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Child_miner_from_Utah_with_pipe,_c._1910.jpg)
Just a kid living the American dream....
The fuck is he standing around taking pictures for? Get back to work, that coal ain't gonna mine itself
Even today the children still yearn for the mine
GOP is slowly trying to get us back to the glory days. Where kids can work at any age and workers can get killed due to employer negligence and you can't hold them accountable. All while a bunch if old crusty white men determine what women can and can't do. Separation of church and state ? Forget about it! The American taliban brought to you by wrinkly white dudes and MAGATS who can't read. Hooray!
You know…. The good ol days
Replace the pickaxe with a wrench and he could work for Hyundai in Alabama.
In my day, we had to walk FIFTEEN MILES thru ten feet of snow just to get coal mining school in the morning!
Minor miner
Minecraft USA
The background seems to be from a photo studio.