Photography

Leica 35mm Camera

The millions of photographs in the Museum's collections compose a vast mosaic of the nation's history. Photographs accompany most artifact collections. Thousands of images document engineering projects, for example, and more record the steel, petroleum, and railroad industries.

Some 150,000 images capture the history, art, and science of photography. Nineteenth-century photography, from its initial development by W. H. F. Talbot and Louis Daguerre, is especially well represented and includes cased images, paper photographs, and apparatus. Glass stereographs and news-service negatives by the Underwood & Underwood firm document life in America between the 1890s and the 1930s. The history of amateur photography and photojournalism are preserved here, along with the work of 20th-century masters such as Richard Avedon and Edward Weston. Thousands of cameras and other equipment represent the technical and business side of the field.

Culture: Mexicans

Inspection of Braceros' Belongings

Photograph: Braceros unpack their personal belongings as an inspector searches for contraband at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros unpack their 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
2004.0138.12.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.11

Braceros in Living Quarter

Photograph: Viewed through a doorway, braceros sit and stand in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Viewed through a doorway, braceros sit and stand in a living quarter at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.41.10
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.41.10

Bracero Camp

Photograph: Braceros stand and sit in front of a living quarter in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand and sit in front of a living quarter in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.21

Braceros Waiting in Line

Photograph: Braceros wait in line at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.07.30
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.07.30

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: Braceros fill boxes with lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros fill boxes with lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.43.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.43.18

Interviewing a Bracero

Photograph: An official interviews a bracero at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: An official interviews a bracero at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.03.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.03.11

Braceros Waiting in Line

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
2004.0138.06.33
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.06.33

Bracero Camp

Photograph: Braceros' living quarters stand in a row at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros' living quarters stand in a row at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.36.30
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.36.30

Braceros in Living Quarter

Photograph: Two braceros sit on a bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros sit 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
2004.0138.41.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.41.07

Aerial View of Farm Field

Photograph: Viewed from a plane flying overhead, braceros perform stoop labor in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Viewed from a plane flying overhead, braceros perform stoop labor in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.32

Braceros Picking Strawberries

Photograph: Braceros pick strawberries in a field near Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick strawberries in a field near Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.26.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.26.02

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a pepper field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a pepper field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.26.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.26.21

Braceros Playing Cards

Photograph: Two braceros sit on a bed and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros sit on a bed and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.21.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.21.09

Bracero Living Quarter Entrance

Photograph: A step at the entrance to a living quarter at a bracero camp in California reads, "Dios es amor" [God is love].Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A step at the entrance to a living quarter at a bracero camp in California reads, "Dios es amor" [God is love].
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.42.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.42.32

Braceros in Pepper Field

Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a pepper field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a pepper field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.49.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.49.11

Bracero Washing Clothes

Photograph: A bracero does his laundry at an outdoor washing facility at a camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero does his laundry at an outdoor washing facility at a camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.06

Braceros Walking to Camp

Photograph: Two braceros walk along the road leading to the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California, while a truck passes by.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros walk along the road leading to the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California, while a truck passes by.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.15

Water Fountain at Bracero Camp

Photograph: A water spigot stands outside at a camp in Tracy, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A water spigot stands outside at a camp in Tracy, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.23.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.23.29

Doctor Examining Bracero

Photograph: Dr. Stanley Savoy examines a bracero's teeth at his clinical practice in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Dr. Stanley Savoy examines a bracero's teeth at his clinical practice in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.25.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.25.06

Bracero Living Quarter Entrance

Photograph: A step at the entrance to a living quarter at a bracero camp in California reads, "Dios es amor" [God is love].Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A step at the entrance to a living quarter at a bracero camp in California reads, "Dios es amor" [God is love].
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.42.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.42.31

Braceros Crossing Bridge

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
2004.0138.05.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.32

Braceros Waiting for Documents

Photograph: Braceros wait to receive documents in Stockton, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait to receive documents in Stockton, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.39.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.39.06

Bracero Cleaning Head of Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero removes bad leaves from a head of lettuce while standing in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero removes bad leaves from a head of lettuce while standing in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.36
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.36

Bracero Living Quarter

Photograph: Bunk beds sit inside a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Bunk beds sit inside a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.21

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.