They were ashamed.

The rest of us have prayed, burned candles, said a chant and done numerous things in hope that the beautiful woman and her children were OK.

Thank you for the update on one of the most haunting, touching images ever taken.

Mama....RIP...you did good.

I was fortunate to see the exhibit of original prints of Lange's FSA photographs a year or so ago at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. The depth of the pensiveness in the eyes of Ms. Thompson was truly transfixing to me and made me fully appreciate the informal name of the photo I heard mentioned that day: "Nipomo Madonna." I believe its permanent home is at the Oakland Museum of California and I would urge it as a must-see stop for those visiting the East Bay.

Perhaps as part of its New Deal v2.0, the Obama administration might consider a repeat commissioning of the efforts of Lange & Dixon to document the chronic and widespread hardships faced by the poor and marginalized today. Hopefully our culture has not become so jaded and cynical as to not be compassionately effected by such imagery to some degree and would choose instead to just mutter, "Meh, yeah, times are tough for me too" upon viewing it.

I don't know why, but that little story just connected with me like an emotional freight train. I've seen the picture a few times before, and it's wonderful to connect a story peopled by such plain talking folks as the daughter. I hope they give her a front row seat at the coming inauguration. Hard times is comin' back and I can't think of anyone more fit to embody the best in what may turn out to be a sorry time.

What is all this crap about the middle class? We need to take care of the poor. This woman's mother was poor - not middle class. I agree she would be terrific at the inauguration of Obama, but let's not pretend she's middle class. She's in her seventies and cleaning houses.

No offense, but this family story is far from unique....

Couldn't agree more. I was waiting for something inspirational and 'pffft.' Deflated.

She's poor. Her mom was poor. Many more of us will be poor if Obama and Congress do nothing to stop the plutocrats from looting our remaining wealth and shipping our remaining jobs overseas.

The photograph says it all. And we give hundreds of billions of dollars to billionaires.

Dorothea Lange took many great photos during her time of chronicling the Depression. This has always been one of my favorites. I am so glad to hear that one of the people in this photograph is still around, and made it through the very hard times. The comment that her family's story is not unique misses the whole point of the group of photographs. They were to point out the similarities not the differences. They were to tell the story of one who represented the all. Great photographers show the humanity in their subjects, rich or poor.

If going through hard times again bring back important memories, then so be it. I have been thinking of speaking (again) to my older relatives about the Depression and writing it down. It is a piece of history that should not be forgotten. As we have found out recently, our economic stability may be just an illusion that can disappear at any time.

on this incredible photo and story and 165 on the one about some trampy girl fucking her way thru college. sheesh.

Well, I don't have much to add to this story. The first commenter expressed my thoughts at least as well as I could have.

Comments come from controversy: who wants 165+ "Amens"?