When I first saw this photo, I immediately thought about the book, THE GRAPES OF WRATH by John Steinbeck. The overalls, the steady expressions, and the rural strength that the Joad family had in that novel also seem to be on the faces of the Katz family in this photo. This story was not one I enjoyed reading as a sophomore in high school. The hardships described in the book brought the Dust Bowl and the depression to life for me, and now here was a Katz family photo that also did just that.

The overalls being worn in this photo were a symbol of workwear throughout America. Overalls originated in the 18th century as protective garments for laborers, designed from coarse cotton to protect clothing and worn over it. They evolved through innovations by Levi Strauss & Co. and Lee Jeans in the late 1800s–early 1900s, becoming the first true bib overalls. Because they were durable, affordable, and protective, they became the defining uniform of American farmers, railroad workers, and rural families by the 1920s–1930s.

Here, in the back row, are Audie’s brother and his family with Audie’s family. The one person missing from this photo is patriarch Audie Katz, so I assume he took it. In the back we have Howard Katz and his parents, Mary and Bill Katz; June Katz Anderson; and Marvin Katz. In the front row are Robert, who is not looking at the camera; Hazel, holding Donald and perhaps talking to Robert; and Bill Katz, standing in front of his sister.

The next thing I had to consider was the time frame, as there was no date on the photo. As in many of our photos, I use one of the people I know well to be my anchor and draw a timeline around them. In this case I used June. June was born in 1916 and appears to be in her late teens or early 20’s. In 1934 she would have been 18. She married Howard Anderson in 1937, so I think we can say this photo would have been taken between 1934 and 1936.

I don’t believe that Manhattan, Kansas, where the Katz family resided, was in the core area of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s; however, it was close enough to feel the effects on the areas of Kansas that were affected. Manhattan is part of the Flint Hills region and, as such, had more natural grass and fewer erosion problems. I’m sure they received some of the dust that blew in from the affected areas in Kansas during the peak affected years of 1934 to 1936.

John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath in 1938, when the Dust Bowl and the Depression were easing their grip on America. He showed how ordinary people carried extraordinary strength through everyday life, and this photo of the Katz family reflects that truth: a family living through the same era, weathering its challenges, and finding dignity in the simple act of standing together.