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: Two braceros look at a notice board in an office in Stockton, California, which says how many braceros are needed from which growers association.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros look at a notice board in an office in Stockton, California, which says how many braceros are needed from which growers association.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.01
Photograph: Toilet facilities stand at a bracero camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Toilet facilities stand at a bracero camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.27
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.27
Photograph: Jack Bias, Executive Manager of the Grower, Shipper, Vegetable Assn., and Ben Lopez, the field representative for the Growers Assn., talk in Bias' office in Salinas, California.
Description
Photograph: Jack Bias, Executive Manager of the Grower, Shipper, Vegetable Assn., and Ben Lopez, the field representative for the Growers Assn., talk in Bias' office in Salinas, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.39
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.39
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
2004.0138.14.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.18
Photograph: A bracero performs stoop labor in a pepper field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero performs stoop labor in a pepper field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.33.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.33.11
Photograph: Rows of braceros' living quarters stand next to a road at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Rows of braceros' living quarters stand next to a road at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.36.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.36.29
Photograph: A bracero loads a Toro lettuce box onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero loads a Toro lettuce box onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.19
Photograph: Braceros work in a field near Salinas in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros work in a field near Salinas in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.30.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.30.02
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.25
Photograph: Braceros stand in line outside a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand in line outside a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.21
Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.28
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: An official checks a bracero's hands for calluses at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: An official checks a bracero's hands for calluses at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.11.41
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.11.41
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: Braceros, walking from the Mexican town of Monterrey to the processing center three miles away, pass the grave of a fallen compatriot.
Description
Photograph: Braceros, walking from the Mexican town of Monterrey to the processing center three miles away, pass the grave of a fallen compatriot.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.10.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.10.34
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: A bracero cuts another's hair next to railroad tracks near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero cuts another's hair next to railroad tracks near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.09.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.09.02
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

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.