Photography

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.

Photograph: Braceros prepare tortillas at a camp near McAllen, Texas.
Description
Photograph: Braceros prepare tortillas at a camp near McAllen, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.10
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.10
Photograph: A bracero receives a chest X-ray during a physical examination at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Description
Photograph: A bracero receives a chest X-ray during a physical examination at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.22
Photograph: At the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas, a blackboard lists growers association names, the number of braceros needed for farm work, and the preferred length of time.
Description
Photograph: At the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas, a blackboard lists growers association names, the number of braceros needed for farm work, and the preferred length of time.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.12
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
2004.0138.02.24
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.24
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.
Description
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.15
Photograph: An agent for the Texas growers association examines a bracero's musculature at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Description
Photograph: An agent for the Texas growers association examines a bracero's musculature at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.32
Photograph: A bracero carries a bag of cotton to a truck near McAllen, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero carries a bag of cotton to a truck near McAllen, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.18.40
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.18.40
Photograph: Braceros wait to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.15
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to board trucks at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to board trucks at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.18.38
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.18.38
Photograph: Two braceros stand for identification photographs at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros stand for identification photographs at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.15
Photograph: A U.S. Border Patrol official reviews a bracero's documents while others wait in line to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A U.S. Border Patrol official reviews a bracero's documents while others wait in line to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.24
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.24
Photograph: Braceros prepare food in a living quarter at a camp near McAllen, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros prepare food in a living quarter at a camp near McAllen, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.29
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.19
Photograph: Braceros prepare food in a living quarter at a camp near McAllen, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros prepare food in a living quarter at a camp near McAllen, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.28
Photograph: A bracero receives a chest X-ray during a physical examination at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero receives a chest X-ray during a physical examination at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.07
Photograph: Braceros stand in their living quarter at a camp near McAllen, Texas.
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand in their living quarter at a camp near McAllen, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.07
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.22
President George H. W. Bush, Roger Ailes, and Craig Fuller preparing for the President's acceptance speech, Republican National Convention, Houston, Texas, August 20, 1992.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
President George H. W. Bush, Roger Ailes, and Craig Fuller preparing for the President's acceptance speech, Republican National Convention, Houston, Texas, August 20, 1992.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1992-08-20
depicted (sitter)
Bush, George, H. W.
maker
Walker, Diana
ID Number
2003.0250.108
catalog number
2003.0250.108
accession number
2003.0250
Photograph: Braceros receive their identification photographs at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas, while others wait in line.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros receive their identification photographs at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas, while others wait in line.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.02
Photograph: A bracero receives a chest X-ray during a physical examination at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas, while others wait in line.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero receives a chest X-ray during a physical examination at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas, while others wait in line.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.08
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.08
Photograph: Braceros wait in line for chest X-rays at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line for chest X-rays at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.10
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.10
Photograph: Empty bunk beds stand side-by-side in a living quarter at a camp near McAllen,Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Empty bunk beds stand side-by-side in a living quarter at a camp near McAllen,Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.18
Photograph: Parked cars sit in front of bracero insurance and service facilities near Hidalgo, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Parked cars sit in front of bracero insurance and service facilities near Hidalgo, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.11.17
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.11.17
Photograph: An empty truck used to transport braceros stands at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An empty truck used to transport braceros stands at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.27
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.27

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.