Mechanical drawing, labeled "122" used in the development of the bowling pin setting machine developed by the donor's grandfather, Fred Schmidt. In the late 1930s, Schmidt patented "a method for picking up and re-setting bowling pins through the use of mechanical suction cups." Schmidt first went to the Brunswick Corporation but was turned away. Without financial backing, Schmidt sold the rights to his invention and American Machine (AMF) bought the patents. It took them until 1951 to perfect the design and create the first pin setting machine based on Schmidt's patented design.
With her camera, Lisa Law documented history in the heart of the counterculture revolution of the 1960s as she lived it, as a participant, an agent of change and a member of the broader culture. She recorded this unconventional time of Anti-War demonstrations in California, communes, Love-Ins, peace marches and concerts, as well as her family life as she became a wife and mother. The photographs were collected by William Yeingst and Shannon Perich in a cross-unit collecting collaboration. Together they selected over two hundred photographs relevant to photographic history, cultural history, domestic life and social history.
Law’s portraiture and concert photographs include Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Lovin Spoonful and Peter, Paul and Mary. She also took several of Janis Joplin and her band Big Brother and the Holding Company, including the photograph used to create the poster included in the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum’s exhibition 1001 Days and Nights in American Art. Law and other members of the Hog Farm were involved in the logistics of setting up the well-known musical extravaganza, Woodstock. Her photographs include the teepee poles going into the hold of the plane, a few concert scenes and amenities like the kitchen and medical tent. Other photographs include peace rallies and concerts in Haight-Ashbury, Coretta Scott King speaking at an Anti-War protest and portraits of Allen Ginsburg and Timothy Leary. From her life in New Mexico the photographs include yoga sessions with Yogi Bhajan, bus races, parades and other public events. From life on the New Buffalo Commune, there are many pictures of her family and friends taken during meal preparation and eating, farming, building, playing, giving birth and caring for children.
Ms. Law did not realize how important her photographs were while she was taking them. It was not until after she divorced her husband, left the farm for Santa Fe and began a career as a photographer that she realized the depth of history she recorded. Today, she spends her time writing books, showing her photographs in museums all over the United States and making documentaries. In 1990, her video documentary, “Flashing on the Sixties,” won several awards.
A selection of photographs was featured in the exhibition A Visual Journey: Photographs by Lisa Law, 1964–1971, at the National Museum of American History October 1998-April 1999.
This belt clip was distributed in a Swanson speed square package. The clip hooks on to a belt and holds a speed square or other tools. It was used by Jillian Gross while working for Habitat for Humanity, a not-for-profit, non-government organization advocating affordable housing around the world.
When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005, Jillian Gross had worked with Habitat for Humanity for three years learning woodworking and house-building skills. Groups such as Habitat for Humanity marshaled volunteers, tools and lumber to step in when it became clear that normal avenues of housing assistance were overwhelmed.
In November 2005, Habitat for Humanity launched “America Builds on the National Mall,” a demonstration house-building marathon in Washington, D.C. in which the basic components of 51 homes were assembled within a week and shipped to the Gulf Coast. Upon completion of the project Ms. Gross, one of the house building leaders during this event, donated her tool belt, tools and protective wear to the Smithsonian Institution.
Poster for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, California is a color photograph of objects used in the modern pentathalon event and marked in red and white at the top of the poster, "Modern Pentathlon [/] Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad [/] Los Angeles 1984 [/] July 28 - August 12."
The 1984 Summer Olympics, also known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad were held in Los Angeles, California with 140 countries, 5,263 men and 1,566 women athletes participating. These Games were boycotted by fourteen countries, including the Soviet Union because of America’s boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. American Carl Lewis won four gold medals in track and field while Joan Benoit won gold for the U.S. in the first women’s marathon. Mary Lou Retton dominated women’s gymnastics becoming the first American to win the gymnastics all-around competition and the American men won the gold in the gymnastics team competition. With the addition of women’s only events of rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming and the addition of women’s events in track and field, shooting and cycling, women athletes were just beginning to see results from Title IX legislation of twelve years prior. The United States won the medal count with 174.
Hot Shots poster of the First Women's International 7 Ball Championship. The credibility professional pool player Billie Billing built for the WPBA eventually led to this tournament with total prize money equalling $25,000, the largest purse in the history of women's billiards. This was televised on ESPN.
Poster for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, California is a color photograph of objects used in the archery event and marked in yellow and white at the top of the poster, "Archery [/] Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad [/] Los Angeles 1984 [/] July 28 - August 12.
The 1984 Summer Olympics, also known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad were held in Los Angeles, California with 140 countries, 5,263 men and 1,566 women athletes participating. These Games were boycotted by fourteen countries, including the Soviet Union because of America’s boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. American Carl Lewis won four gold medals in track and field while Joan Benoit won gold for the U.S. in the first women’s marathon. Mary Lou Retton dominated women’s gymnastics becoming the first American to win the gymnastics all-around competition and the American men won the gold in the gymnastics team competition. With the addition of women’s only events of rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming and the addition of women’s events in track and field, shooting and cycling, women athletes were just beginning to see results from Title IX legislation of twelve years prior. The United States won the medal count with 174.
Poster for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, California is a color lithograph of a rhythmic gymnast performing in front of a crowd and marked in white at the bottom of the poster, "Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad Los Angeles 1984." This was created by artist Ernie Barnes.
Ernie Barnes (1938-2009) an artist and professional football player, grew up in North Carolina during the 1950s. He attended North Carolina College on a full scholarship playing football, running track and majoring in art. Art was his passion, but after graduation he played professional football from 1959 to 1965 while continued to create his artwork. After his retirement from pro ball the NFL kept him on their roster as the first artist for the NFL. Barnes was named the ‘Sports Artist of the 1984 Olympic Games,’ by the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee. He painted five paintings for the Games and became an advocate for inner city youth. LAOOC President Peter Ueberroth said Barnes and his art “captured the essence of the Olympics” and “portray the city’s ethnic diversity, the power and emotion of sports competition, the singleness of purpose and hopes that go into the making of athletes the world over.” Barnes continued to paint for sports organizations as well as basketball and football teams for many years.
The 1984 Summer Olympics, also known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad were held in Los Angeles, California with 140 countries, 5,263 men and 1,566 women athletes participating. These Games were boycotted by fourteen countries, including the Soviet Union because of America’s boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. American Carl Lewis won four gold medals in track and field while Joan Benoit won gold for the U.S. in the first women’s marathon. Mary Lou Retton dominated women’s gymnastics becoming the first American to win the gymnastics all-around competition and the American men won the gold in the gymnastics team competition. With the addition of women’s only events of rhythmic gymnastics and synchronized swimming and the addition of women’s events in track and field, shooting and cycling, women athletes were just beginning to see results from Title IX legislation of twelve years prior. The United States won the medal count with 174.
