Government, Politics, and Reform

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln are all represented in the Museum's collections—by a surveying compass, a lap desk, and a top hat, among other artifacts. But the roughly 100,000 objects in this collection reach beyond the possessions of statesmen to touch the broader political life of the nation—in election campaigns, the women's suffrage movement, labor activity, civil rights, and many other areas. Campaign objects make up much of the collection, including posters, novelties, ballots, voting machines, and many others. A second group includes general political history artifacts, such as first ladies' clothing and accessories, diplomatic materials, ceremonial objects, national symbols, and paintings and sculptures of political figures. The third main area focuses on artifacts related to political reform movements, from labor unions to antiwar groups.

Cesar Estrada Chavez, the founder of the United Farm Workers of America, is one of the most recognized Latino civil rights leaders in the United States. A Mexican American born in Yuma, Arizona, his family lost their small farm in the Great Depression (1930s).
Description
Cesar Estrada Chavez, the founder of the United Farm Workers of America, is one of the most recognized Latino civil rights leaders in the United States. A Mexican American born in Yuma, Arizona, his family lost their small farm in the Great Depression (1930s). Like many Americans, they joined the migration to California and worked for low wages in its great agricultural fields. The agricultural industry in the West was a modern, market-driven phenomenon. In 1965, the United Farm Workers of America, led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, began its five-year Delano grape strike against area grape growers for equal wages for foreign workers. Filipino and Mexican Americans who labored in California vineyards were suddenly visible in the eyes of American consumers. The movement to boycott table grapes mobilized students and educated consumers across America. The text on this poster, printed around 1970, describes Chavez's vision of political and economic emancipation for farm workers. La Causa, or The Cause, as it was known among Mexican Americans, was the political and artistic touchstone of the Chicano movement.
Description (Spanish)
César Estrada Chávez, fundador del Sindicato de los Trabajadores Agrícolas de América (UFW, por sus siglas en inglés) es uno de los líderes más reconocidos de los derechos civiles de los latinos en Estados Unidos. Mexicoamericano, nacido en Yuma, Arizona, la familia perdió su pequeña granja durante la Gran Depresión (década de 1930). Al igual que muchos americanos, emigró hacia California para trabajar en los grandes campos agrícolas por un sueldo mínimo. La industria agrícola en el oeste era un fenómeno moderno, regido por el mercado. En 1965, el Sindicato de Trabajadores Agrícolas, conducido por César Chávez y Dolores Huerta, inició la huelga de la uva de Delano, la cual se prolongó durante cinco años, contra los productores de uva en pro de los derechos de paga de los trabajadores migratorios. Como consecuencia, los filipinos y mexicanoamericanos que trabajaban en los viñedos de California adquirieron una repentina presencia ante los ojos de los consumidores americanos. El movimiento de boicot a la producción de uva fresca movilizó a estudiantes y consumidores en toda América. El texto que se observa en este póster, impreso alrededor de 1970, describe la visión política de Chávez acerca de la emancipación política y económica de los trabajadores agrícolas. La Causa, como se la conocía entre los mexicoamericanos, era el pedernal político y artístico del movimiento chicano.
Location
Currently not on view
depicted (sitter)
Chavez, Cesar
associated; direct
United Farm Workers
maker
Lithographers and Photoengravers International Union
ID Number
PL.296849.35
catalog number
296849.35
accession number
296849
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.14
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.14
Photograph: A bracero places heads of lettuce in a Toro lettuce box in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero places heads of lettuce in a Toro lettuce box in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.15
Photograph: A vendor offers a liquid to the braceros who stand around him at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A vendor offers a liquid to the braceros who stand around him at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.34
Photograph: A bracero family sits in their home in San Mateo, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero family sits in their home in San Mateo, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.08.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.08.01
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.25
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.22
Photograph: Braceros unpack their food and personal belongings as an inspector searches for contraband at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros unpack their food and personal belongings as an inspector searches for contraband at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.34
Photograph: An official reviews a bracero's documents at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An official reviews a bracero's documents at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.13.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.13.07
Photograph: A bus stands near braceros' living quarters at a camp in the Western United States.
Description
Photograph: A bus stands near braceros' living quarters at a camp in the Western United States.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.30.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.30.19
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.19
Photograph: A bracero does his laundry in a bathroom at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero does his laundry in a bathroom at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.41.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.41.18
Photograph: Braceros enjoy an impromptu concert near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros enjoy an impromptu concert near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.16.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.16.02
Photograph: Showering facilities stand at a bracero camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Showering facilities stand at a bracero camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.42.05
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.42.05
Photograph: Braceros walk on a road between a pepper field and a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros walk on a road between a pepper field and a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.35
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.35
Photograph: Officials review braceros' documents at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Officials review braceros' documents at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.17.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.17.29
Photograph: A bracero works in a pepper field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero works in a pepper field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.26.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.26.25
Photograph: A bracero stands in front of a living quarter at a camp in the Western United States.
Description
Photograph: A bracero stands in front of a living quarter at a camp in the Western United States.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.30.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.30.12
Photograph: A bracero lies in his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies in his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.21.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.21.21
Photograph: A bracero with a short-handled hoe at his side stoops down in a pepper field in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero with a short-handled hoe at his side stoops down in a pepper field in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.49.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.49.23
Photograph: A bracero speaks to a nurse while a Dr. Stanley Savoy reviews a document at a clinical practice in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero speaks to a nurse while a Dr. Stanley Savoy reviews a document at a clinical practice in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.25.08
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.25.08
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.16
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.01
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.02

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