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.

Topic: Agriculture

Braceros Picking Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in Toro lettuce boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.55.08
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.55.08

Bracero Family in Mexico

Photograph: Women work and care for children in a bracero family home in San Mateo, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Women work and care for children in a bracero family home in San Mateo, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.08.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.08.11

Braceros at Steam Bath

Photograph: Braceros wait in front of the Pajaro Steam Bath in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in front of the Pajaro Steam Bath in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.07

Blackboard at Bracero Processing Center

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

Bracero Talking to Official

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

Bracero Shaving

Photograph: One bracero shaves while another stands in the doorway of a bathroom at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: One bracero shaves while another stands in the doorway of a bathroom at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.35.33
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.35.33

Braceros Waiting at Processing Center

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

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: Braceros line up Cookie lettuce boxes next to a truck in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros line up Cookie lettuce boxes next to a truck in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.24
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.24

Braceros Waiting to Board Bus

Photograph: Braceros returning home line up to board a bus in Stockton, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros returning home line up to board a bus in Stockton, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.17
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.17

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
2004.0138.25.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.25.22

Bracero Lying in Bed

Photograph: A bracero lies on a bed in a living quarter at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies on a bed in a living quarter at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.35.35
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.35.35

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros sit and have lunch at the edge of a pepper field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros sit and have lunch at the edge of a pepper field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.04
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.04

Braceros at Association Office

Photograph: Two braceros look at a notice board in an office in Stockton, California, which says how many braceros are needed from which growers association.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros look at a notice board in an office in Stockton, California, which says how many braceros are needed from which growers association.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.01

Bracero Camp Toilet Facilities

Photograph: Toilet facilities stand at a bracero camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Toilet facilities stand at a bracero camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.27
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.27

Association Officials

Photograph: Jack Bias, Executive Manager of the Grower, Shipper, Vegetable Assn., and Ben Lopez, the field representative for the Growers Assn., talk in Bias' office in Salinas, California.
Description
Photograph: Jack Bias, Executive Manager of the Grower, Shipper, Vegetable Assn., and Ben Lopez, the field representative for the Growers Assn., talk in Bias' office in Salinas, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.39
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.39

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
2004.0138.14.18
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.18

Bracero in Pepper Field

Photograph: A bracero performs stoop labor in a pepper field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero performs stoop labor in a pepper field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.33.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.33.11

Bracero Camp

Photograph: Rows of braceros' living quarters stand next to a road at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Rows of braceros' living quarters stand next to a road at a camp in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.36.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.36.29

Bracero Loading Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero loads a Toro lettuce box onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero loads a Toro lettuce box onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.19

Braceros in Field

Photograph: Braceros work in a field near Salinas in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros work in a field near Salinas in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.30.02
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.30.02

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.25

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros stand in line outside a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand in line outside a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.21

Braceros Getting Processed

Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Hidalgo Processing Center, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.14.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.14.28

Braceros in Cucumber Field

Photograph: A bracero empties cucumbers from a can into a bag held by another bracero at the edge of a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero empties cucumbers from a can into a bag held by another bracero at the edge of a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.45.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.45.25

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