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 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
Photograph: A guard armed with a rubber truncheon hurries a line of braceros along at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A guard armed with a rubber truncheon hurries a line of braceros along at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.07.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.07.25
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 dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.13.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.13.23
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: Braceros cross the Mexico-U.S. border while walking over the Reynosa-Hidalgo bridge.
Description
Photograph: Braceros cross the Mexico-U.S. border while walking over the Reynosa-Hidalgo bridge.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.03
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.03

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