Work

Gilbreth Stopwatch

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.

Place: Texas

Bracero Getting an X-ray

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

Braceros in Living Quarter

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

Braceros Waiting in Line

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

Braceros Receiving Identification Photographs

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

Bracero Getting an X-ray

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

Braceros Waiting for X-rays

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

Bracero Living Quarter

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

Bracero Service Facilities

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

Transportation Truck for Braceros

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

Association Agent Reviewing Braceros

Photograph: At the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas, an agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: At the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas, an agent from the Texas growers association selects braceros for distribution among his association members.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.27
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.27

Physical Examination of Braceros

Photograph: An agent for the Texas growers association examines a bracero's musculature at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An agent for the Texas growers association examines a bracero's musculature at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.02.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.02.28

Braceros Waiting at Processing Center

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
2004.0138.12.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.16

Reviewing Bracero's Documents

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.
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.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.22

Association Agent Reviewing Braceros

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
2004.0138.14.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.20

Braceros at Water Fountain

Photograph: Braceros use a makeshift water fountain at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros use a makeshift water fountain at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.24
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.24

Truck Full of Braceros

Photograph: Braceros sit in a truck and wait to leave the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros sit in a truck and wait to leave the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.35
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.35

Braceros Getting Processed

Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Description
Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.30
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.30

Transportation Truck for Braceros

Photograph: An empty truck used for transporting braceros stands at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: An empty truck used for transporting braceros stands at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.28

Braceros Boarding Truck

Photograph: Braceros board a truck at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Description
Photograph: Braceros board a truck at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.33
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.33

Braceros' Belongings

Photograph: Braceros' belongings litter the ground at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros' belongings litter the ground at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.12.17
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.17

Braceros Unloading Cotton

Photograph: Braceros unload cotton from bags onto a truck near McAllen, Texas.
Description
Photograph: Braceros unload cotton from bags onto a truck near McAllen, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.18.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.18.02

Bracero Unloading Cotton

Photograph: A bracero empties a bag of cotton onto a truck near McAllen, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero empties a bag of cotton onto a truck near McAllen, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.18.41
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.18.41

Braceros Getting Fingerprinted

Photograph: Officials take fingerprints from braceros while others wait in line to be processed at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Officials take fingerprints from braceros 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
2004.0138.14.33
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.33

Bracero Unloading Cotton

Photograph: A bracero empties a bag of cotton onto a truck near McAllen, Texas.
Description
Photograph: A bracero empties a bag of cotton onto a truck near McAllen, Texas.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.18.42
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.18.42

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