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.

Photograph: Braceros present their documents for officials to review while others wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros present their documents for officials to review while others wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.16.36
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.16.36
Photograph: Braceros load Cookie lettuce boxes onto a truck while others work nearby in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros load Cookie lettuce boxes onto a truck while others work nearby in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.20.27
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.20.27
Photograph: A man and a mule walk down a street in the village of San Mateo, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: A man and a mule walk down a street in the village of San Mateo, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.13.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.13.31
Photograph: Braceros exit a truck bed and walk toward living quarters at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros exit a truck bed and walk toward living quarters at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.50.26
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.50.26
Photograph: Braceros play dominoes on a bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros play dominoes on a bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.23.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.23.22
Photograph: A bracero shaves in front of a mirror at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero shaves in front of a mirror at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.35.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.35.06
Photograph: A bracero stoops down with a short-handled hoe to cultivate a pepper field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero stoops down with a short-handled hoe to cultivate a pepper field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.49.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.49.29
Nykesha Sales, small forward for the University of Connecticut women's basketball team, won numerous awards throughout her high school and collegiate careers including the High School and Collegiate All-American teams.
Description
Nykesha Sales, small forward for the University of Connecticut women's basketball team, won numerous awards throughout her high school and collegiate careers including the High School and Collegiate All-American teams. A presidential debate was held in Hartford, Connecticut on October 2, 1996.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1996-10-02
date made
1996
associated date
1996
depicted
Sales, Nykesha
ID Number
1997.0390.03
accession number
1997.0390
catalog number
1997.0390.03
Photograph: Braceros form a line to present documents to an official at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros form a line to present documents to an official at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.04.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.04.09
Photograph: A bracero lies in bed and reads a book in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies in bed and reads a book in a living quarter at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.38.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.38.06
Photograph: Viewed from a plane flying overhead, a river flows past nearby fields in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Viewed from a plane flying overhead, a river flows past nearby fields in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.31
Photograph: A bracero lies on his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies on his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.41.26
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.41.26
Photograph: Youths roughouse as braceros wait in line and buses pass by at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Youths roughouse as braceros wait in line and buses pass by at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.09.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.09.21
Photograph: A man prepares food in a dining hall's kitchen at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A man prepares food in a dining hall's kitchen at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.32.10
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.32.10
Photograph: A lettuce field stands before a bracero camp in Gonzales, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A lettuce field stands before a bracero camp in Gonzales, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.36.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.36.09
This test rig was used to analyze the ventricles made for the Atomic Energy Artificial Heart. An artificial heart driven by atomic energy was financed by the Atomic Energy Commission, and by Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA).
Description
This test rig was used to analyze the ventricles made for the Atomic Energy Artificial Heart. An artificial heart driven by atomic energy was financed by the Atomic Energy Commission, and by Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA). In 1977 the ERDA became the United States Department of Energy, which lost interest in the development of a nuclear heart. The engine was made by North America/Phillips while the silastic ventricles were made in Kolff's laboratory. Kolff replaced the Sterling engine with a small electromotor on the pump and obtained survival of a calf for 35 days with this artificial heart.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1972
maker
Kolff Laboratory
ID Number
1998.0035.042.02
accession number
1998.0035
catalog number
1985.0035.042.02
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
2004.0138.16.43
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.16.43
Photograph: A bracero lies in bed and smokes in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies in bed and smokes in a living quarter at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.48.13
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.48.13
Photograph: Braceros wait in front of the railroad station in Monterrey, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in front of the railroad station in Monterrey, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.11.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.11.01
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.06.40
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.06.40
Photograph: Braceros stand between living quarters at an outdoor camp service in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand between living quarters at an outdoor camp service in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.08
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.08
Date made
2000-11-07
ID Number
2001.0089.01
accession number
2001.0089
catalog number
2001.0089.01
Photograph: Braceros pick strawberries and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick strawberries and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.52.05
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.52.05
Photograph: A bracero stoops down with a short-handled hoe to cultivate a pepper field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero stoops down with a short-handled hoe to cultivate a pepper field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.49.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.49.31

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