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: A bracero empties cucumbers from a can into a bag held by another bracero at the edge of a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero empties cucumbers from a can into a bag held by another bracero at the edge of a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.45.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.45.25
Photograph: Braceros wait to board buses in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait to board buses in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.39.13
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.39.13
Photograph: A bracero sits in bed and reads an English grammar book in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero sits in bed and reads an English grammar book in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.44.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.44.16
Photograph: Viewed from a plane flying overhead, a river flows past nearby fields in California.
Description
Photograph: Viewed from a plane flying overhead, a river flows past nearby fields in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.29
Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.23
Photograph: Braceros talk, smoke, listen to the radio, and eat strawberries in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros talk, smoke, listen to the radio, and eat strawberries in a living quarter at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.21.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.21.16
Photograph: A bracero sits on a bed and writes a letter in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero sits on a bed and writes a letter in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.21.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.21.32
Photograph: Braceros wait next to a notice board in an office in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait next to a notice board in an office in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.21
Photograph: A bracero lies on his bed and smokes a cigarette at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies on his bed and smokes a cigarette at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.32.24
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.32.24
Photograph: Braceros are served dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros are served dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.23
Photograph: Braceros sit with suitcases and other belongings under a tree in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros sit with suitcases and other belongings under a tree in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.39.37
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.39.37
Photograph: Braceros are served food in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros are served food in a dining hall at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.23
Photograph: Braceros receive paychecks from an official in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros receive paychecks from an official in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.39.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.39.21
Photograph: Braceros pick lettuce and place it in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick lettuce and place it in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.29
Photograph: A nurse takes a bracero's temperature while others sit in a waiting room at the clinical practice of Dr. Stanley Savoy in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A nurse takes a bracero's temperature while others sit in a waiting room at the clinical practice of Dr. Stanley Savoy in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.11
Photograph: Braceros crowd around the side of the San Jaoquin County Farm Production Association building in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros crowd around the side of the San Jaoquin County Farm Production Association building in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.09
Photograph: Viewed from a street, the Los Gatitos cafe stands beside a growers association office in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Viewed from a street, the Los Gatitos cafe stands beside a growers association office in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.11
Photograph: A bracero sits on his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero sits on his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.22.30
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.22.30
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
2004.0138.41.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.41.16
Photograph: Bunk beds fill a living quarter at a bracero camp in a California.
Description
Photograph: Bunk beds fill a living quarter at a bracero camp in a California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.34
Photograph: A bracero picks lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero picks lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.42
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.42
Photograph: A water spigot stands outside at a camp in Tracy, California.
Description
Photograph: A water spigot stands outside at a camp in Tracy, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.23.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.23.28
Photograph: A bracero washes his clothes at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero washes his clothes at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.32.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.32.15
Photograph: A grower and a growers association field representative look over a group of braceros working in an onion field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A grower and a growers association field representative look over a group of braceros working in an onion field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.17
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.17

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