Documentary photographer Dorothea Lange was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2003.

"To honor in perpetuity these women, citizens of the United States of America whose contributions to the arts, athletics, business, education, government, the humanities, philanthropy and science, have been the greatest value for the development of their country."

—Mission statement of the National Women's Hall of Fame

Founded in 1969, the National Women's Hall of Fame honors women who have made significant contributions to American society. Among their inductees for 2003 was Dorothea Lange, a documentary photographer. After surviving polio as a child, Lange worked to become a pioneer in her field, and is well known for her work documenting political and social events such as the Great Depression and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Though some of her photos of the internment camps were censored at the time, her work now serves as a powerful form of documentary evidence for the events of history she chose to photograph.

ARTSEDGE
In Migrant Workers Through the Lens of Dorothea Lange (5–8), students learn about migrant workers to better understand the environmental and social impact of the Great Depression.

In Japanese Americans and WW II (5–8), students learn about the experiences of Japanese Americans who were relocated from their homes to detainment camps during World War II by studying and learning to analyze photographs and texts that document the period.

The ARTSEDGE Spotlight Life, In Focus (K–12) provides a collection of lessons, text and multimedia to help teachers and students more effectively read pictures and uncover the stories they are waiting to tell.

The "How-To" feature The Language of Photography (6–12) offers tips for selecting and arranging visual elements to communicate ideas and create memorable photographs.

ReadWriteThink
In A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words: From Image to Detailed Narrative (6–8), students think critically about their interpretations of the events in an image and write about those ideas. Teachers distribute or show a picture that tells a story and then encourage students to brainstorm words and ideas about the image. Students then write a story that tells background on the image or extends details on what students believe has happened.

EDSITEment
Dorothea Lange is well known for her photographic depictions of people. In I've Just Seen a Face: Portraits (3–5), students explore the types and purposes of portraits through historical photographs.

Dorothea Lange's photographs are among the primary resources students use to investigate the Dust Bowl in Dust Bowl Days (3–5).