In the early to mid-20th century, Belle Glade, Florida, became known as “The Winter Vegetable Capital of the World.” The town’s rich muck soil, made fertile by the draining of the Everglades in the 1920s, was perfect for growing vegetables, especially during the winter months when much of the country could not produce such crops.
Migratory workers traveled to Belle Glade seasonally to harvest these crops, becoming an essential part of the local economy. These workers often faced difficult working conditions and were a driving force behind the push for labor reforms in agriculture during the period.
This historic photograph by Marion Post Wolcott shows migratory laborers harvesting celery in Belle Glade in January 1941.
