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: Bracero Program

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
2004.0138.33.13
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.33.13

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: A man on a truck uses a machine to assemble Toro lettuce boxes, which braceros pick up to fill with lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A man on a truck uses a machine to assemble Toro lettuce boxes, which braceros pick up to fill with lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.03
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.03

Braceros Waiting to Board Bus

Photograph: Braceros returning home wait to board a bus in Stockton, California, as officials distribute documents.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros returning home wait to board a bus in Stockton, California, as officials distribute documents.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.04
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.04

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
2004.0138.28.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.34

Braceros Checking for Mail

Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.33
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.33

Braceros Getting Processed

Photograph: After passing their physical examinations, braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: After passing their physical examinations, braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.03.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.03.09

Braceros Preparing Tortillas

Photograph: Braceros prepare tortillas at a camp near McAllen, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros prepare tortillas at a camp near McAllen, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.11

Bracero Cleaning Head of Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero cleans old leaves off a head of lettuce in a field in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero cleans old leaves off a head of lettuce in a field in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.20

Vendor at Bracero Camp

Photograph: Braceros stand around a vendor's car at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand around a vendor's car at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.15

Braceros Waiting in Line

Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.06.41
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.06.41

Officials in Mexico City

Photograph: Two officials review documents in an office, Mexico City, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two officials review documents in an office, Mexico City, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.08.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.08.29

Braceros Picking Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.05
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.05

Braceros Playing Dominoes

Photograph: Braceros play dominoes on a bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros play dominoes on a bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.23.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.23.23

Bracero Picking Pepper

Photograph: A bracero stoops down to pick pepper in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero stoops down to pick pepper in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.13
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.13

Villagers in San Mateo, Mexico

Photograph: Two men ride a horse and a donkey down a street in San Mateo, Mexico, as a man tends to his donkey.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two men ride a horse and a donkey down a street in San Mateo, Mexico, as a man tends to his donkey.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.08.17
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.08.17

Bracero Leaning on Fence

Photograph: A bracero leans against a barbed wire fence as he waits to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero leans against a barbed wire fence as he waits to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.06.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.06.31

Bracero Lying in Bed

Photograph: A bracero lies in bed and looks out a window in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies in bed and looks out a window in a living quarter at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.23.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.23.06

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.45.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.45.11

Braceros at Camp

Photograph: Braceros walk outside their living quarters at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros walk outside their living quarters at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.31
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.31

Bracero Living Quarter

Photograph: Beds sit in a bracero living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Beds sit in a bracero living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.25.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.25.20

Braceros in Field

Photograph: Braceros lie at the edge of a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros lie at the edge of a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.50.04
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.50.04

Bracero Living Quarter

Photograph: Bunk beds stand inside a living quarter at a bracero camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Bunk beds stand inside a living quarter at a bracero camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.16

Braceros in Mexico City

Photograph: Braceros wait in front of an official building, Mexico City, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in front of an official building, Mexico City, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.15.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.15.16

Braceros Preparing a Meal

Photograph: Braceros prepare food in a kitchen at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros prepare food in a kitchen at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.35.40
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.35.40

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