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

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

Braceros in Mexico City

Photograph: In Mexico City, Mexico, braceros wait in front of an official building to apply for farm work in the United States.
Description
Photograph: In Mexico City, Mexico, braceros wait in front of an official building to apply for farm work in the United States.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.15.10
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.15.10

Braceros in Pepper Field

Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a pepper field in California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros perform stoop labor in a pepper field in California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.33.13
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.33.13

Braceros in Lettuce Field

Photograph: A man on a truck uses a machine to assemble Toro lettuce boxes, which braceros pick up to fill with lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: A man on a truck uses a machine to assemble Toro lettuce boxes, which braceros pick up to fill with lettuce in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.37.03
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.37.03

Braceros Waiting to Board Bus

Photograph: Braceros returning home wait to board a bus in Stockton, California, as officials distribute documents.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros returning home wait to board a bus in Stockton, California, as officials distribute documents.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.19.04
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.19.04

Braceros at Meal Time

Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros have dinner in a dining hall at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.28.34
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.28.34

Braceros Checking for Mail

Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros check for mail at the Gondo Labor Camp in Watsonville, California.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.27.33
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.27.33

Braceros Getting Processed

Photograph: After passing their physical examinations, braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: After passing their physical examinations, braceros dictate information to clerk typists during processing at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.03.09
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.03.09

Braceros Preparing Tortillas

Photograph: Braceros prepare tortillas at a camp near McAllen, Texas.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Braceros prepare tortillas at a camp near McAllen, Texas.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.05.11
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.05.11

Bracero Cleaning Head of Lettuce

Photograph: A bracero cleans old leaves off a head of lettuce in a field in California.
Description
Photograph: A bracero cleans old leaves off a head of lettuce in a field in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.56.20
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.56.20

Vendor at Bracero Camp

Photograph: Braceros stand around a vendor's car at a camp in California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros stand around a vendor's car at a camp in California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.46.15
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.46.15

Braceros Waiting in Line

Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
Description
Photograph: Braceros wait in line to be processed at the Monterrey Processing Center, Mexico.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.06.41
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.06.41

Officials in Mexico City

Photograph: Two officials review documents in an office, Mexico City, Mexico.Currently not on view
Description
Photograph: Two officials review documents in an office, Mexico City, Mexico.
Location
Currently not on view
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.08.29
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.08.29

Braceros Picking Lettuce

Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
Description
Photograph: Braceros pick heads of lettuce and place them in boxes in a field in the Salinas Valley, California.
date photographed
1956
photographer
Nadel, Leonard
ID Number
2004.0138.34.05
accession number
2004.0138
catalog number
2004.0138.34.05

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