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.

Culture: Mexicans

Supervising Braceros in Onion Field

Photograph: A grower and a growers association field representative look over a group of braceros working in an onion field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A grower and a growers association field representative look over a group of braceros working in an onion field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.17
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.17

Braceros in Town

Photograph: Braceros walk the streets in the town of Salinas, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros walk the streets in the town of Salinas, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.29.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.29.25

Braceros Waiting in Line

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

Braceros in Living Quarter

Photograph: Two braceros dress their hair with the aid of handheld mirrors in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two braceros dress their hair with the aid of handheld mirrors in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.48.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.48.06

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
2004.0138.12.25
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.12.25

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros are served food while others sit and have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros are served food while others sit and have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.19
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.19

Braceros Waiting in Line

Photograph: Braceros wait in line in front of a building's windows at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line in front of a building's windows at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.07.22
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.07.22

Checking Bracero's Hands

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
2004.0138.13.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.13.15

Bracero Smoking a Cigarette

Photograph: A bracero relaxes on his bed and smokes a cigarette at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero relaxes on his bed and smokes a cigarette at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.32.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.32.34

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
2004.0138.03.44
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.03.44

Bracero Camp

Photograph: Clothes dry on a chain link fence at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Clothes dry on a chain link fence at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.20

Bracero Entertainment

Photograph: Braceros enjoy an impromptu concert near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros enjoy an impromptu concert near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.16.01
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.16.01

Braceros Examining Paychecks

Photograph: Braceros examine their paychecks outside of a building in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros examine their paychecks outside of a building in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.44.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.44.12

Bracero in Field

Photograph: A bracero with a short-handled hoe over his shoulder stands in a field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero with a short-handled hoe over his shoulder stands in a field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.07
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.07

Bracero Tallying Strawberries

Photograph: A bracero counts boxes of strawberries and punches tally cards on the edge of a field near Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero counts boxes of strawberries and punches tally cards on the edge of a field near Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.31.06
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.31.06

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros have lunch at the edge of a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.17
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.17

Bracero Camp

Photograph: A hillside slopes town to the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A hillside slopes town to the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.38.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.38.34

Bracero Washing Clothes

Photograph: A bracero does laundry outside a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero does laundry outside a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.44.03
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.44.03

Braceros Loading Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros load Toro lettuce boxes onto a truck in a lettuce field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros load Toro lettuce boxes 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
2004.0138.40.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.16

Braceros on Train

Photograph: Braceros - in silhouette - sit in a train looking outside in crepuscular light near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros - in silhouette - sit in a train looking outside in crepuscular light near the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.11.12
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.11.12

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: Braceros work in a field with two rows of Toro lettuce boxes in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros work in a field with two rows of Toro lettuce boxes in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.40.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.40.34

Braceros in Town

Photograph: Braceros enter a taxi in the town of Watsonville, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros enter a taxi in the town of Watsonville, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.29.30
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.29.30

Bracero Writing a Letter

Photograph: A bracero sits on a bed and writes a letter in a living quarter at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero sits on a bed and writes a letter in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.41.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.41.34

Braceros Picking Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.35
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.35

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