Work

The tools, rules, and relationships of the workplace illustrate some of the enduring collaborations and conflicts in the everyday life of the nation. The Museum has more than 5,000 traditional American tools, chests, and simple machines for working wood, stone, metal, and leather. Materials on welding, riveting, and iron and steel construction tell a more industrial version of the story. Computers, industrial robots, and other artifacts represent work in the Information Age.

But work is more than just tools. The collections include a factory gate, the motion-study photographs of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, and more than 3,000 work incentive posters. The rise of the factory system is measured, in part, by time clocks in the collections. More than 9,000 items bring in the story of labor unions, strikes, and demonstrations over trade and economic issues.

Emilio Nicolas, Sr. received this award in 2007 from the government of Mexico for sharing Mexican culture in the United States.
Description
Emilio Nicolas, Sr. received this award in 2007 from the government of Mexico for sharing Mexican culture in the United States. Among the many awards he received over the course of his career, this one demonstrated his commitment to sharing Mexican culture in the United States through television. The medal uses the symbol of a traveler to honor the spread of Mexican arts and culture. Nicolas, Sr. played an instrumental role in building the earliest Spanish language television network in the United States, the Spanish International Network or SIN.
In the 1950s, consumers made television the centerpiece of the home, fueling competition among broadcasters to create new products, new programming, new stations, and even new networks. Innovators, such as those behind the creation of independent Spanish-language stations and eventually the Spanish International Network (SIN), challenged established broadcasting companies by creating new programming in Spanish and catering to underserved audiences. Established in the early 1960s, SIN knit together independents and created new stations to serve a national audience. With a complex business and legal history, SIN eventually became Univision in the 1980s. In the decades after 1980, Spanish-language programing options grew with recognition of Latinx communities as powerful consumer groups and the advent of new broadcasting technologies such as cable and digital TV.
Description (Spanish)
El Sr. Emilio Nicolas recibió este premio en 2007 por parte del gobierno de México por difundir la cultura mexicana en los Estados Unidos. Entre los muchos premios que recibió a lo largo de su carrera, este representa su compromiso con el desarrollo de la cultura mexicana en los Estados Unidos a través de la televisión. La medalla incorpora el símbolo de un viajero azteca para honrar la difusión de las artes y la cultura mexicanas en el exterior. El Sr. Nicolas desempeñó un papel fundamental en la creación de la primera cadena de televisión en español en los Estados Unidos, el Spanish International Network o SIN.
En la década de 1950, los consumidores hicieron de la televisión un componente central de sus hogares, fomentando la competencia entre las difusoras para crear nuevos productos, nueva programación, nuevas estaciones, e incluso nuevas redes. Los innovadores, como los creadores de los canales independientes de habla hispana y el Spanish International Network (SIN), desafiaron a las emisoras establecidas creando nuevos programas en español centradas en audiencias históricamente ignoradas. Establecido a principios de los sesenta, SIN unió a difusoras independentes y creó nuevas estaciones para responder a una audiencia nacional. Tras una compleja trayectoria empresarial y legal, SIN se convertiría en Univisión en la década de 1980. Durante las próximas décadas, las opciones de programación en español crecieron gracias al reconocimiento de la comunidad Latinx, como poderoso grupo de consumidores, y a la introducción de nuevas tecnologías de difusión, como el cable y la televisión digital.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2007
maker
United Mexican States
ID Number
2017.0213.02
catalog number
2017.0213.02
accession number
2017.0213
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members in Hidalgo, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.14
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.14
Photograph: A bracero places heads of lettuce in a Toro lettuce box in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero places heads of lettuce in a Toro lettuce box in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.15
Photograph: A vendor offers a liquid to the braceros who stand around him at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A vendor offers a liquid to the braceros who stand around him at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.34
Photograph: A bracero family sits in their home in San Mateo, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero family sits in their home in San Mateo, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.08.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.08.01
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.25
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Standing on a truck, a bracero leans against a stack of Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.22
Photograph: Braceros unpack their food and personal belongings as an inspector searches for contraband at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros unpack their food and 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
2004.0138.02.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.34
Photograph: An official reviews a bracero's documents at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An official reviews a bracero's documents at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.13.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.13.07
Photograph: A bus stands near braceros' living quarters at a camp in the Western United States.
Description
Photograph: A bus stands near braceros' living quarters at a camp in the Western United States.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.30.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.30.19
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.19
Photograph: A bracero does his laundry in a bathroom at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero does his laundry in a bathroom at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.41.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.41.18
Photograph: Braceros enjoy an impromptu concert near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros enjoy an impromptu concert near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.16.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.16.02
Photograph: Showering facilities stand at a bracero camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Showering facilities stand at a bracero camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.42.05
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.42.05
Photograph: Braceros walk on a road between a pepper field and a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros walk on a road between a pepper field and a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.35
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.35
Photograph: Officials review braceros' documents at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Officials review braceros' documents at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.17.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.17.29
Photograph: A bracero works in a pepper field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero works in a pepper field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.26.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.26.25
Photograph: A bracero stands in front of a living quarter at a camp in the Western United States.
Description
Photograph: A bracero stands in front of a living quarter at a camp in the Western United States.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.30.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.30.12
Photograph: A bracero lies in his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies in his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.21.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.21.21
Photograph: A bracero with a short-handled hoe at his side stoops down in a pepper field in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero with a short-handled hoe at his side stoops down in a pepper field in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.49.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.49.23
Photograph: A bracero speaks to a nurse while a Dr. Stanley Savoy reviews a document at a clinical practice in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero speaks to a nurse while a Dr. Stanley Savoy reviews a document at a clinical practice in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.25.08
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.25.08
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.16
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.01
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Three braceros sit and play cards in a living quarter at a camp in California, while a fourth bracero looks on from the doorway.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.02

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