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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

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Unloading calves and pig purchased at the union stockyards in Lancaster at Lutz's slaughterhouse

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Calves and pig before they are slaughtered at Lutz's slaughterhouse

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Mennonite farmer and wife selling fowl at the farmer's market

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Woman selling eggs at the farmers' market

Lititz, Pennsylvania. This man has been a volunteer fire engine driver for twenty-three years

Lititz, Pennsylvania. During air raids this bread truck would be on duty for the Red Cross

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Volunteer firemen practicing during an air raid drill

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Fire Captain Raymond Runk is an accountant at the animal trap company

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Raymond Runk, accountant at the Animal Trap Company and fire captain, giving a lecture on German bombs to Boy Scouts who are learning to be messengers. In emergencies, their duty would be to report fire bombs to the proper people

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Raymond Runk, accountant at the Animal Trap Company and fire captain, giving a lecture on German bombs to Boy Scouts who are learning to be messengers. In emergencies, their duty would be to report fire bombs to the proper people

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Employees in the Animal Trap Company machine shop checking out for lunch

Lititz, Pennsylvania. A Mennonite and his wife at a public sale

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Employees of the Animal Trap Company eating lunch off packing boxes; canteen accomodations are limited

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Girls working at the Animal Trap Company treating themselves to a special lunch to celebrate the departure of one of them to work in a Lancaster department store

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Bidders at a public sale

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Bidders at a public sale

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Looking over the furniture at a public sale before bidding

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Bidders at a public sale

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Bidders at a public sale

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Bidders at a public sale

Lititz, Pennsylvania. The oldest member of the Moravian sewing circle is in her nineties. Members of the circle quilt for anyone who wants it at the cost of one cent a yard of thread, and the money goes to the church

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Moravian sewing circle

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Public sale of house and property

Lititz, Pennsylvania. Moravian Sunday school