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: California

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
2004.0138.21.32
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.21.32

Braceros at Association Office

Photograph: Braceros wait next to a notice board in an office in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait next to a notice board in an office in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.21

Bracero Smoking a Cigarette

Photograph: A bracero lies on his bed and smokes a cigarette at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero lies 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
2004.0138.32.24
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.32.24

Serving Braceros a Meal

Photograph: Braceros are served dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros are served dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.23

Braceros Waiting with Belongings

Photograph: Braceros sit with suitcases and other belongings under a tree in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros sit with suitcases and other belongings under a tree in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.39.37
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.39.37

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros are served food in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros are served food in a dining hall at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.23
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.23

Braceros Receiving Paychecks

Photograph: Braceros receive paychecks from an official in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros receive paychecks from an official in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.39.21
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.39.21

Braceros Picking Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros pick lettuce and place it in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick lettuce and place it in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.29

Braceros Waiting for Doctor

Photograph: A nurse takes a bracero's temperature while others sit in a waiting room at the clinical practice of Dr. Stanley Savoy in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: A nurse takes a bracero's temperature while others sit in a waiting room at the clinical practice of Dr. Stanley Savoy in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.47.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.47.11

Braceros at Association Building

Photograph: Braceros crowd around the side of the San Jaoquin County Farm Production Association building in Stockton, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros crowd around the side of the San Jaoquin County Farm Production Association building in Stockton, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.24.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.24.09

Association Building

Photograph: Viewed from a street, the Los Gatitos cafe stands beside a growers association office in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Viewed from a street, the Los Gatitos cafe stands beside a growers association office in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.11

Bracero Sitting in Bed

Photograph: A bracero sits on his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero sits on his bed in a living quarter at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.22.30
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.22.30

Bracero Washing Clothes

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
2004.0138.41.16
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.41.16

Bracero Living Quarter

Photograph: Bunk beds fill a living quarter at a bracero camp in a California.
Description
Photograph: Bunk beds fill a living quarter at a bracero camp in a California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.34

Bracero Picking Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero picks lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero picks lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.42
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.42

Water Fountain at Bracero Camp

Photograph: A water spigot stands outside at a camp in Tracy, California.
Description
Photograph: A water spigot stands outside at a camp in Tracy, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.23.28
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.23.28

Bracero Washing Clothes

Photograph: A bracero washes his clothes at a camp in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A bracero washes his clothes at a camp in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.32.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.32.15

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 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 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

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 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

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

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