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.

Topic: Agriculture

Braceros Waiting to Board Bus

Photograph: Braceros returning home wait in line with their belongings to board a bus in Stockton, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros returning home wait in line with their belongings to board a bus in Stockton, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.09

Braceros on Railroad Tracks

Photograph: Braceros sit and stand along the railroad tracks behind a barbed wire fence near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros sit and stand along the railroad tracks behind a barbed wire fence near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.10.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.10.07

Braceros in Town

Photograph: Braceros stand near the entrance to a cafe in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand near the entrance to a cafe in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.26
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.26

Official in Mexico City

Photograph: Eugenio de Azorena sits smoking behind his desk and speaks to someone in his office, Mexico City, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Eugenio de Azorena sits smoking behind his desk and speaks to someone in his office, Mexico City, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.15.27
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.15.27

Braceros in Field

Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.49.03
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.49.03

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
2004.0138.26.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.26.15

Braceros in Mexico City

Photograph: An official collects documents from braceros, Mexico City, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An official collects documents from braceros, Mexico City, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.08.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.08.32

Bracero in Lettuce Field

Photograph: A bracero stoops down to cut lettuce in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero stoops down to cut lettuce in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.19

Braceros Walking in Field

Photograph: Braceros walk in line over a field in crepuscular light in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros walk in line over a field in crepuscular light in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.54.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.54.06

Selling Pineapples to Braceros

Photograph: A vendor sells pineapples to braceros at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: A vendor sells pineapples to braceros at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.04.14
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.04.14

Checking Bracero's Hands

Photograph: An official checks a bracero's hands for calluses while others wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: An official checks a bracero's hands for calluses while others wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.13.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.13.20

Bracero Packing Onions

Photograph: A bracero packs onions into a box in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero packs onions into a box in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.23

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros get their meals while others sit and have lunch at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros get their meals while others sit and have lunch at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.16.24
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.16.24

Braceros Playing Cards

Photograph: Two braceros sit on a bed and play cards while third bracero writes a letter in a living quarter at a camp in the Western United States.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros sit on a bed and play cards while third bracero writes a letter in a living quarter at a camp in the Western United States.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.38.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.38.22

Aerial View of Farm Field

Photograph: Viewed from a plane flying overhead, a river runs past nearby fields in California.
Description
Photograph: Viewed from a plane flying overhead, a river runs past nearby fields in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.27
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.27

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.53.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.53.01

Bracero in Pepper Field

Photograph: A bracero with a short-handled hoe tucked into his belt pulls a pepper plant in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero with a short-handled hoe tucked into his belt pulls a pepper plant in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.26.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.26.23

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.23

Villagers in San Mateo, Mexico

Photograph: A boy and a man with a donkey walk past a water pipe in San Mateo, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A boy and a man with a donkey walk past a water pipe in San Mateo, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.08.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.08.18

Bracero Cleaning Head of Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero cleans old leaves off a head of lettuce while smoking a cigarette in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero cleans old leaves off a head of lettuce while smoking a cigarette in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.06

Bracero Working with Short-Handled Hoe

Photograph: A bracero works with a short-handled hoe in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero works with a short-handled hoe in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.10
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.10

Braceros Waiting at Processing Center

Photograph: Beyond railroad tracks, braceros wait in a large group for processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Beyond railroad tracks, braceros wait in a large group for processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.01.44
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.01.44

Bracero Sitting in Bed

Photograph: A bracero sits on his bed in a tent at a camp near Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero sits on his bed in a tent at a camp near Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.23.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.23.25

Braceros in Strawberry Field

Photograph: Beyond a stack of strawberry boxes, braceros work in a strawberry field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Beyond a stack of strawberry boxes, braceros work in a strawberry field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.52.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.52.12

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