The Forgotten History of the Child Labor Amendment.

The article focuses on recent state-level rollbacks of child labor protections in the United States and highlights the historical context and ongoing need for stronger federal safeguards. It explains that while the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 established federal child labor regulations, it contains significant exemptions, leaving many children unprotected, especially in agriculture and family work. The article details the early 20th-century effort to pass the Child Labor Amendment, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have granted Congress broader authority to regulate child labor nationwide, but which ultimately failed to be ratified. Given current challenges and weakening state laws, the article suggests revisiting the Child Labor Amendment as a means to establish consistent, comprehensive federal protections for children’s labor rights.