Workers on Roof Girders during Construction of New Carnegie-Illinois Steel Plant in Pittsburgh

The first issue of Life magazine, released on November 23, 1936, used an industrial photo taken by Bourke-White on its cover. The image of Fort Peck Dam in Montana was accompanied by a story on the construction workers' lives and families. This enormously popular first issue set the stage for 'photo stories' like it, as a way to present social issues from a humanitarian perspective. Workers on Roof Gilders is one example of such photos. However, magazine editors were careful to include photos and stories that facilitated a positive portrayal of Americans as industrious and resourceful, and reflected the importance of industry to American society.