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Posted by: Kristi Finefield
American poster artist Lester Beall was hired to design posters to garner support for the work of the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) in the 1930s. The REA was launched by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order in May 1935, and then supported by Congress’ passage of the Rural Electrification Act in May 1936. At the …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs, Posters
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
The holiday travel season is fast approaching, and some of us look toward our upcoming air travel with a sense of dread – or even resignation – as we prepare for cramped conditions, long lines, delays, cancellations and more unforeseen challenges. Photos of transcontinental travel I came across in the Farm Security Administration/Office of War …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
As part of a series of posts about portraits in the collections of the Prints & Photographs Division, this post focuses on the work of FSA photographer Jack Delano.
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs, Series: Profiling Portraits
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
While searching our collections for a photo, I came across the following image and my natural curiosity required me to zoom in and read the text: Because I didn’t grow up in a region known for potato farming, it was surprising to learn of potato barrel rolling as an event! I absolutely had to find …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
Many entries in the Double Take series, where we look a little closer at images, come out of the steps I take to answer reference questions in my daily work. Recently, in response to a question seeking a photo of a particular building, I was browsing about 300 photographs of Dubuque, Iowa, from the Farm …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs, Series: Double Take
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
Thanksgiving in America is pie’s time to shine, as one or more of these delightful desserts often provide the sweet finish to Thanksgiving feasts across the country. Depending on where you live or your family hails from, the pies could contain pecan, sweet potato, pumpkin, apple, or a wide variety of other delicious fillings. The …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
The following is a guest post by Mary Jane Appel, photo historian and author of the recently published Russell Lee: A Photographer’s Life and Legacy (Liveright, in association with the Library of Congress, 2021). When Farm Security Administration (FSA) photographer Russell Lee drove through the small town of San Marcos, Texas on a sunny afternoon …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs, Researcher Stories
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
The following is a guest post by Jan Grenci, Reference Specialist for Posters, Prints and Photographs Division. This post is the latest entry in the occasional Double Take series, where we take a closer look at images. As a reference specialist, it should come as no surprise that I enjoy doing research. What may surprise …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs, Series: Double Take, Visual literacy
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
Time to go back to school! The relaxing days of summer are giving way to busy schooldays for millions of children – and teachers – across the country, with many already at their desks and ready to tackle a new school year. Photographers for the Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information traveled all …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs