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.

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: 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: Braceros board buses at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros board buses at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.04.26
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.04.26
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to board buses at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to board buses at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.04.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.04.25
Photograph: A sign inside a building at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico, lists how many braceros were processed that day and how many are expected in Hidalgo, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A sign inside a building at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico, lists how many braceros were processed that day and how many are expected in Hidalgo, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.16.41
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.16.41
Photograph: A bracero talks to an official during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero talks to an official during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.03.03
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.03.03
Photograph: Braceros wait to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico, while others wait to enter the center outside along the railroad tracks.
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico, while others wait to enter the center outside along the railroad tracks.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.04.04
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.04.04
Photograph: An official checks a bracero's hands for calluses at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: An official checks a bracero's hands for calluses at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.11.41
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.11.41
Photograph: Braceros, walking from the Mexican town of Monterrey to the processing center three miles away, pass the grave of a fallen compatriot.
Description
Photograph: Braceros, walking from the Mexican town of Monterrey to the processing center three miles away, pass the grave of a fallen compatriot.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.10.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.10.34
Photograph: A bracero cuts another's hair next to railroad tracks near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero cuts another's hair next to railroad tracks near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.09.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.09.02
Photograph: A guard armed with a rubber truncheon hurries a line of braceros along at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A guard armed with a rubber truncheon hurries a line of braceros along at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.07.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.07.25
Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.13.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.13.23
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
2004.0138.06.30
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.06.30
Photograph: Braceros stand in line as others wait to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand in line as others wait to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.11.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.11.07
Photograph: Braceros stand with their backs to the wall and stretch while an official examines their figures at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand with their backs to the wall and stretch while an official examines their figures at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.17.08
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.17.08
Photograph: Braceros present documents while others wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros present documents while others 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
2004.0138.07.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.07.16

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