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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

Stockton (vicinity), California. Mexican agricultural laborers arriving by trian to help in the harvesting of beets

Stockton (vicinity), California. Mexican agricultural laborers arriving by train to help in the harvesting of beets

Stockton (vicinity), California. Mexican agricultural laborers topping sugar beets

Stockton (vicinity), California. Mexican agricultural laborers throwing sugar beets into a truck

Stockton (vicinity), California. Mexican agricultural laborers topping sugar beets

Stockton (vicinity), California. Mexican agricultural laborers throwing sugar beets into a truck

Stockton (vicinity), California. Mexican agricultural laborers arring by train to help in the harvesting of beets

Buffalo, New York. The Grimm family eating Sunday dinner. Mrs. Grimm, a twenty-six year old widow, is a crane operator at Pratt and Letchworth. The two youngest children live in a foster home during the week

Niagara Falls, New York. War workers who live at Mrs. Hannegan's boardinghouse having supper at 5:30

Niagara Falls, New York. One of the war workers living at Mrs. Hannegan's boardinghouse entertaining a friend

Niagara Falls, New York. War workers who live at Mrs. Hannegan's boardinghouse having supper at 5:30

Niagara Falls, New York. Entertaining guest, playing rummy in the living room while others play Chinese checkers on Nan Hannegan's birthday at Mrs. Hannegan's boardinghouse for war workers

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Mid-afternoon lunch of milk and zweibach

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Children from outside looking into the nursery school yard longingly

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Children from outside looking into the nursery school yard longingly

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Mother taking her child home after work

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Mother, who has come to pick up her child after work plays with other children

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Playing in the well-equipped yard

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Eating lunch which consists of meat and vegetables, milk, prune whip

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Children washing themselves and combing their hair

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Children themselves washing and combing their hair

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Each child has own comb and towel, washes himself and combs his won hair

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Five-minute rest period on mats before washing up for lunch

Buffalo, New York. Lakeview nursery school for children of working mothers, operated by the Board of Education at a tuition fee of three dollars weekly. Gary busy building contraptions in the well-equipped yard