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Collection: Marjory Collins - FSA/OWI Jan 1942 - June 1943

The photographs in the Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection form an extensive pictorial record of American life between 1935 and 1944. Photographer Marjory Collins was hired by the Office of War Information to photograph American life and support of the war effort. Across some 50 assignments, Ms. Collins captured iconic images of workers, families, and children all along the eastern part of the U.S. Her photos span January 1942 - June 1943 In 1944 Collins worked freelance for a construction company in Alaska before travelling to Africa and Europe on government and commercial assignments. Thereafter she worked mainly as an editor and a writer covering civil rights, the Vietnam War and women's movements. In the 1960s she edited American Journal of Public Health.[1] In the 1980s she moved to San Francisco where she obtained an M.A. in American Studies at Antioch College West. She died in 1985 at the age of 73.[1]

831 photos

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Arrivals at the senior prom

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Senior prom

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Cakes and grape punch during intermission at the senior prom

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Kindergarten children practice their May Day dances on the grass in front of the school

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Kindergarten children practice their May Day dances on the grass in front of the school

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Third grade children have a discussion about compositions which they have written

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Kindergarten children planning their May Day festival

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Kindergarten children planning their May Day festival

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Kindergarten children practicing a balloon dance in the gymnasium for their May Day festival

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. The school library is used as a community public library in the evening

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. The school library is used as a community library in the evening

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Volunteer workers put out the Cooperator, a weekly newspaper

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Volunteer workers put out the Cooperator, a weekly newspaper

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Making up the Cooperator, a weekly newspaper

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Mrs. Leslie Atkins preparing dinner in her kitchen, one end of which is the dining room. Notice the mangle and washing machine on either side of the stove

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Mrs. Leslie Atkins taking an orange out of her well-stocked refrigerator

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Ann Atkins buying ice cream from the Good Humor man, a daily visitor

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Atkins, Ann, and Pierce Atkins having supper

Greenbelt, Maryland. Father and son shopping in the cooperative store

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Paying for purchases at the checking out gate of the cooperative grocery store

Greenbelt, Maryland. Federal housing project. Typical scene outside the grocery store

Greenbelt, Maryland. Crowd coming out of a cooperative movie house on Saturday night

Greenbelt, Maryland. Choir singing during special Memorial Day Protestant services

Greenbelt, Maryland. Choir singing at special Memorial Day Protestant services