1. She was determined to document the forced relocation of Japanese Americans during World War II
In 1941, Lange was the first woman to receive a prestigious fellowship to make “documentary photographs of the American social scene, particularly in rural communities.” But in February 1942, Lange asked for a deferment.
She wanted to focus on documenting the relocation of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals. Forced from their homes and businesses, they were tagged and held in “relocation centers,” also called incarceration camps. Lange photographed at a camp in Manzanar, California, where she created a record of the unjust treatment of Japanese American citizens.