Dorothea Lange used to say that she decided to become a photographer in an effort to "maintain myself on the planet," according to Christopher Cox in the introduction to Aperture's Dorothea Lange. Whether she meant that she thought photography would earn her a living or satisfy her intellect or both, it is clear that Lange's work has done much to physically and spiritually sustain countless Americans. Her photographs influenced the United States government in its decision to aid those most affected by the Great Depression. The view through the lens of her camera alerted Americans to the plight of the Dust Bowl migrants during the same time. It was Lange's work that sensitively recorded the inhumanity of the relocation of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Lange is remembered today for the fact that, as she documented history, she helped determine the future.

Lange was born in Hoboken, New...