Tobacco bag stringing: Life and labor in the Depression · North Carolina Collection

2. The workers10

Mrs. Eugenia Allen

woman sitting on bed, child on tricycle in front of bed.

(More about the photograph)

ALLEN, MRS. EUGENIA, (colored); married and has three children and four grandchildren living with her; aged 51; husband aged 59. Reside at Reidsville, N.C.

INCOME: They raise corn and tobacco to sell, and all the food they need. Taxes are about $35.00 a year and they only have to buy food occasionally.

HOME CONDITIONS: House has six rooms and there are 102 acres of land. They own a cow, two mules, four pigs, and a few chickens. The house is well kept and is in good condition. This family could get along without stringing bags but this money helps a lot when they have a bad year on the farm. She has been stringing a long time and makes about $8.00 a week. Her eyes were weakened by sickness but it has never bothered her to string bags.

Source: “Tobacco Bag Stringing Operations in North Carolina and Virginia.” Richmond, Va.: 1939. North Carolina Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.