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Lennox Reels, Jackson Street, Dallas, TX (2025)

01/31/2025

In 1938, photographer Marion Post Wolcott captured a moment in rural North Carolina, where a family or community was rendering fat after butchering a hog near Maxton. The process of rendering fat was an essential task in many rural households, as it was used to make lard, a key ingredient in cooking and preserving food. This photograph reflects the practical and resourceful ways rural families sustained themselves, using every part of the hog in order to avoid waste and provide for their needs.

Rendering fat after a hog slaughter was a time-honored tradition in many farming communities, where the butchering process was an important part of preparing for the winter months. It was not just about having enough meat to last, but also about producing lard for frying, baking, and even making soap. This activity was often done by families with deep ties to the land, who relied on self-sufficiency to survive the hardships of the Great Depression.

Preserved by the Farm Security Administration, this photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the labor and ingenuity that characterized rural life in the 1930s. It underscores the resilience of farm families who relied on traditional methods to provide for their households during tough economic times. Wolcott’s image offers a glimpse into the daily routines and the hard work that went into maintaining a family farm, highlighting the resourcefulness and resilience of these communities during the Great Depression.

01/31/2025

In 1939, Mrs. Fred Wilkins and several women from the Wilkins family were photographed washing dishes in the kitchen of their home in Tallyho, Stem, North Carolina. The women were cleaning up after preparing a large dinner for the men who had spent the day shucking corn on the family farm in Granville County. The scene captures a moment of community and hard work, where the women played an essential role in sustaining the household after a day of labor in the fields.

The photograph, taken by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration, highlights the daily routines of rural families during the Great Depression. It reflects the strength and resilience of farm life in North Carolina, where extended families often worked together to maintain their livelihood. The women, busy with dishes and preparing for the next meal, are an important part of the agricultural labor system, ensuring the well-being of the men who worked in the fields.

Wolcott’s photo offers a snapshot of rural life in the 1930s, where even in the most difficult times, families continued their traditions of hard work, cooperation, and mutual support. The image speaks to the value placed on community and the vital role that women played in maintaining family life and traditions, especially in rural farming areas like Granville County.

01/31/2025

This striking portrait, taken by traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing between 1896 and 1912, features an elderly woman seated in front of a hanging backdrop. Dressed in a short, dark cape and round eyeglasses, she gazes directly at the camera, her expression calm and composed. Handwriting on the negative suggests the woman's name was "Sam Lamp" and the photograph was taken in Shawnee, likely located in Perry County, Ohio. The image captures a moment of everyday life from the late 19th to early 20th century, offering a glimpse into the character and style of that time.

Albert J. Ewing, known for his work as a traveling photographer, often captured images in the southeastern Ohio and central West Virginia regions. His photographs are invaluable records of rural life, portraying individuals and families from these areas during a period of significant social and economic change. Ewing’s subjects, often posed in a formal setting, are frozen in time, giving future generations an insight into their clothing, surroundings, and the ways in which they lived.

This particular image of Sam Lamp stands out as a representation of the quiet dignity of rural people who lived in the Appalachian region. Although the details of her life remain a mystery, her face tells a story of resilience and simplicity. The photograph, housed in the Ohio History Connection, is part of a broader collection that preserves the legacy of ordinary people in rural America during a time of profound transformation.

01/31/2025

In 1938, photographer Russell Lee captured an intimate portrait of children from a family who had been part of the Farm Security Administration (FSA) program in Southeast Missouri. The family, formerly sharecroppers, had transitioned into a new way of life with the help of FSA assistance, which aimed to improve the living conditions of struggling farmers during the Great Depression. This image highlights the children’s resilience in the face of hardship, offering a glimpse into their daily lives in a time of great economic instability.

The FSA's efforts were crucial for many families in the South, as sharecropping often trapped families in cycles of poverty and debt. The children in the photograph are a testament to the challenges faced by rural communities as they adapted to new systems that promised greater stability and self-sufficiency. Their expressions reflect both the hardship of their past and the hope that the future might hold through FSA initiatives.

Russell Lee, as part of the FSA’s photography program, documented the human side of the Depression-era policies and the people affected by them. This photograph, like many others in the FSA collection, not only documents the children’s faces but also speaks to the broader story of agricultural reform and the lasting impact it had on families in the American countryside.

01/31/2025

In 1936, photographer Walker Evans captured a poignant image of the Tengle children from Hale County, Alabama. This photograph is part of the Farm Security Administration’s efforts to document the lives of rural families during the Great Depression. The children, whose expressions reflect the hard realities of the time, represent the resilience and hardship faced by many families in the American South during this challenging period.

The Tengle family's portrait is a powerful reminder of the struggles rural communities endured in the 1930s. With limited access to resources, many children in places like Hale County were thrust into difficult circumstances, often contributing to household work or agricultural labor. This image serves as a snapshot of their everyday lives, underscoring both the strength of these children and the adversity they faced.

Walker Evans, known for his unflinching portrayal of everyday Americans, used his camera to capture not just the physical conditions but the emotional weight carried by his subjects. The Tengle children's photo, part of the FSA’s broader photographic documentation, continues to resonate as an important historical record of the era, revealing the human side of the socio-economic struggles of the time.

01/31/2025

This intriguing family portrait, taken between 1896 and 1912, features two sets of identical twins. Captured by the traveling photographer Albert J. Ewing, the image likely hails from southeastern Ohio or central West Virginia, regions that were common subjects of Ewing's work. The photograph highlights the rare phenomenon of multiple births, a detail that adds to the uniqueness of the family’s legacy.

Ewing’s style often focused on capturing ordinary moments of rural life, and this portrait is no exception. The twins are dressed in traditional clothing of the time, offering a glimpse into the fashion and family dynamics of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The photograph is a rare piece of visual history, providing a connection to a time when family portraits were an essential part of preserving family heritage.

Today, this photograph offers a fascinating insight into the lives of families from the region and era. The image also stands as a testament to the skill and dedication of Albert J. Ewing, whose work continues to provide valuable documentation of life in Ohio and West Virginia during a transformative period in American history.

01/31/2025

In 1943, Mrs. W.R. McDonald was photographed churning butter at her kitchen table in San Antonio, Texas. This image captures a timeless moment of domestic life, reflecting the traditional methods of food preparation that were common during that era. Churning butter was a daily task for many households, particularly in rural areas, where families often relied on homemade products for their meals.

The act of churning butter was not only a labor-intensive process but also a symbol of self-sufficiency. For families like Mrs. McDonald's, making their own butter was an important part of maintaining a home and providing for their loved ones. This practice, while perhaps considered old-fashioned today, was a vital skill passed down through generations.

Captured by the University of Texas at San Antonio, this photograph provides a glimpse into a simpler, slower-paced time, highlighting the personal and familial aspects of life during the 1940s. It serves as a reminder of the everyday tasks that many took for granted but were essential to sustaining families in earlier times.

01/31/2025

In 1939, Mrs. Alfred Peterson and her daughter were photographed in Mesa County, Colorado, as they gathered food from their well-stocked cellar. The image highlights the Peterson family’s self-sufficiency during a time when many rural households relied heavily on their own farming and preservation efforts to sustain themselves. The well-filled shelves reflect the family’s hard work and resourcefulness in growing and storing food.

The Petersons, like many families of the era, lived in a time when growing and preserving food was not just a necessity, but a way of life. With the Great Depression still affecting much of the country, ensuring a steady food supply from their land was crucial for their survival. This photograph captures the essence of rural life, where families took pride in their ability to cultivate and preserve their own resources.

Taken by the Farm Security Administration, this image is part of a broader effort to document the resilience of American families living through difficult times. The Peterson family’s story of hard work and dedication to their land serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of self-reliance and community strength during times of hardship.

01/31/2025

In 1941, a photograph captured the family of Gus Wright inside their home in Greene County, Georgia. This image provides a glimpse into the daily lives of a rural family during the early 20th century. The Wright family, like many others during this period, was navigating the challenges of farming life, with a sense of resilience and tight-knit community.

The photo, taken by a photographer from the Farm Security Administration, showcases the interior of the Wrights’ modest home, highlighting the simplicity of their living conditions. It reflects the struggles and perseverance of farming families who often had to make do with limited resources, yet still managed to create a nurturing environment for their loved ones.

This image of the Wright family is part of a larger historical effort by the Farm Security Administration to document the lives of rural families across the United States during the Great Depression. By preserving such moments, we gain insight into the strength of these communities and their determination to sustain their livelihoods despite economic hardship.

01/31/2025

Between 1896 and 1912, a traveling photographer named Albert J. Ewing captured a portrait of a woman in a white blouse and full-length skirt. She posed confidently on the front porch of a home, one hand resting on her hip. The photograph, which carries the name "Eliza" or "Elisa Pastal" on the negative, is believed to have been taken in Tanner, West Virginia. As was often the case with Ewing’s work, the photograph is rooted in the southeastern Ohio and central West Virginia region, an area he frequently visited to document daily life.

The simplicity of the portrait, combined with the woman’s relaxed yet poised pose, gives a glimpse into the modest fashion and rural lifestyle of the time. Ewing’s portraits often captured the intimate lives of everyday people, showcasing a time when such personal photographs were treasured as family heirlooms. His work, much like this one, provides a valuable record of the region's social and cultural history during the turn of the century.

Ewing’s photography offers an invaluable window into the past, allowing modern audiences to see the world as it once was in small, rural communities. The use of natural light, simple settings, and unembellished poses in portraits like this one makes them feel timeless, preserving the identities and stories of individuals who might otherwise have remained forgotten. Ewing’s contributions remain an important part of the historical record for both southeastern Ohio and central West Virginia.

01/31/2025

Around 1920, this photograph captured a group of Kiowa-Apache Indians west of Apache, Oklahoma. Taken by photographer Pierre Tartoue, the image provides a rare glimpse into the lives of Native American communities during the early 20th century. The Kiowa-Apache people, originally from the Great Plains and the Southwestern United States, were experiencing significant changes to their traditional way of life as they navigated the challenges brought by government policies and shifting societal structures.

The Kiowa-Apache had a rich cultural heritage, with strong traditions in hunting, gathering, and warfare. However, like many other Native American tribes, they faced the ongoing effects of forced relocation, assimilation efforts, and loss of land throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The photo, taken in the early years of the 20th century, provides a snapshot of a community striving to maintain its identity amid these challenges.

Pierre Tartoue's work, as captured by this photograph, contributes to the preservation of Native American history and culture during a period of immense transformation. While the lives of the Kiowa-Apache were deeply influenced by the pressures of American expansion and policy, images like this one help us better understand the resilience and ongoing presence of Indigenous communities in the face of adversity.

01/31/2025

In 1939, day laborers took a brief rest outside the cotton house on Marcella Plantation in Mileston, located in the Mississippi Delta. After a long day of harvesting cotton, these workers, many of whom were African American, gathered near the cotton house, which was a common site on plantations where cotton was processed and stored. The work of picking cotton was grueling and backbreaking, requiring long hours under the hot sun, and this image captures a moment of respite after a day of hard labor.

The photograph, taken by Marion Post Wolcott as part of the Farm Security Administration's documentation of rural poverty, provides a glimpse into the lives of those who worked on cotton plantations in the Deep South during the Great Depression. The laborers were often paid low wages for their work, with many living in difficult conditions in rural Mississippi. The cotton industry was an essential part of the Southern economy, but for many workers, it also meant exploitation and limited opportunities for improvement.

While the cotton industry shaped the economy of the Mississippi Delta, it also reinforced a system of racial inequality and economic disparity. This photo serves as a reminder of the struggles faced by day laborers, who were caught in a cycle of poverty and dependence on the plantation system. Despite their hard work, these laborers often had little control over their wages, living conditions, or the direction of their lives. The image captures a stark reality of the time, preserving a moment in history that illustrates the hardships of rural labor in the South during the 1930s.

01/31/2025

In 1936, a photograph captured part of the Alfred Atkinson family, tenant farmers who worked an eighty-acre plot of land near Shannon City, in Ringgold County, Iowa. As tenant farmers, the Atkinsons did not own the land they worked, instead renting it, which placed them in a precarious financial position during the Great Depression. Tenant farming was common in rural America at the time, but it offered little security or opportunity for upward mobility. The Atkinsons, like many others, were at the mercy of landlords and fluctuating agricultural prices.

Alfred and his family were part of the broader farming community in Iowa, struggling to make a living from the land in a time of economic hardship. The photo, taken by Russell Lee as part of the Farm Security Administration’s documentation of rural poverty, sheds light on the difficult realities of tenant farming. Despite the hard work that went into maintaining the land, the Atkinsons, like many tenant farmers, were often left with barely enough to survive, with little hope for improvement.

The Farm Security Administration aimed to highlight the living conditions of tenant farmers, and this image serves as a testament to their perseverance. It also underscores the challenges faced by rural families during the Depression, many of whom were caught in a cycle of poverty and dependency. The photograph, preserved as part of the historical record, provides a snapshot of a time when farming families across the country were struggling just to hold on to their land and way of life.

01/31/2025

In 1936, a family of turpentine workers near Cordele, Alabama, was captured in a poignant photograph that reveals the hardships of their daily lives. The father, who worked tirelessly extracting turpentine from the local trees, earned just one dollar a day. This wage, though hard-earned, was barely enough to support his family, highlighting the severe economic conditions faced by many laborers in the South during the Great Depression.

The turpentine industry, while vital to the economy of the region, offered little financial security for the families involved. The work was grueling and often dangerous, as workers tapped the trees and collected the resin. Despite the difficult labor, the wages remained low, and families like the one in this photograph struggled to make ends meet. The image taken by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration underscores the deep poverty that defined life for many rural families at the time.

This photograph is not just a record of economic hardship but also a reminder of the human cost of an industry that depended on the exploitation of both land and labor. The family’s humble living conditions serve as a testament to the resilience and endurance of those who worked in the turpentine industry, making do with what little they had while trying to survive in an era of widespread economic distress.

01/31/2025

In 1930, a striking photograph was captured at Madison Square Gardens in New York, showcasing two women riding an Indian motorcycle with a sidecar. One woman confidently rides the motorcycle, while the other is perched atop a milk jug placed in the sidecar, creating a whimsical and unique moment in time. The image captures the spirit of the era, when motorcycles were becoming increasingly popular, and serves as a playful example of early motorcycle culture.

The photograph was taken during a time when motorcycles were seen as both a symbol of freedom and innovation, with brands like Indian leading the charge in the industry. The inclusion of the milk jug in the sidecar adds an element of charm and humor, highlighting the carefree nature of the 1930s. It also hints at a growing fascination with technological advancements and unconventional uses of vehicles for both practical and fun purposes.

The company associated with the photo, Winter-Weiss, originally based in Denver, would go on to transition into a defense contractor during World War II. This shift marked a significant change for the company, reflecting the broader transformation of industries across the United States as they pivoted to support the war effort. The photograph stands as a snapshot of a time before that dramatic shift, capturing a lighthearted moment before the world entered a period of intense change.

01/31/2025

Around 1900, several photographs were taken of the Metlakahtla (Tsimshean) people of Metlakahtla, Alaska, offering a glimpse into their lives and culture during this period. These images serve as an important historical record, showcasing the traditions, clothing, and daily activities of the Metlakahtla community, one of the many Indigenous groups in the region. The Tsimshean people, with their rich cultural heritage, have lived in this area for centuries, relying on fishing, hunting, and gathering for sustenance.

The photos provide a visual history of the Metlakahtla people’s resilience and adaptability in the face of significant social and cultural changes during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As the United States expanded westward, Indigenous communities in Alaska faced increasing pressure from settler colonialism and the encroachment of outside forces on their land and way of life. Despite these challenges, the Tsimshean continued to maintain their cultural practices and identity.

The images were preserved by the National Archives and Records Administration, offering a valuable insight into the life of a community that has faced both challenges and triumphs throughout its history. Today, they remain an important part of understanding the broader history of Native Alaskan communities and their ongoing contributions to the cultural fabric of the United States.

01/30/2025

In 1936, Lilly Cox and her family were living in a house on tract number 189 in Johnson County, North Carolina. This image, taken by Farm Security Administration photographer Arthur Rothstein, captures a moment in the lives of a rural family during the Great Depression. The photograph reflects the living conditions of many families at the time, as they dealt with the financial challenges of the era, including job shortages and widespread poverty.

The house in the photograph represents the modest homes of many tenant farmers or sharecroppers who lived in rural areas. Families like the Coxes often faced difficult circumstances, relying on agricultural work to survive. Their lives were marked by resilience and hard labor, as they navigated the hardships of farming during a challenging period in American history.

The photo serves as a reminder of the Farm Security Administration's efforts to document the lives of rural Americans during the 1930s. Through these images, Rothstein and other photographers helped raise awareness of the struggles faced by families living in poverty, contributing to a broader understanding of the social and economic issues that needed attention during the New Deal era.

01/30/2025

In 1940, in Barbourville, Kentucky, a farmer's children were photographed returning home on muleback, carrying a sack of meal. This image, captured by the Farm Security Administration, offers a glimpse into rural life during the Great Depression. The children, making the trek home on horseback, reflect the self-sufficiency and hard work that was essential to farming families during this difficult time. It was common for rural families to rely on animals like mules to help them with daily tasks, from transporting goods to making trips to the mill.

The sack of meal they carry is a symbol of the importance of food production in rural communities, where many families grew or produced their own food, often through hard labor. It also speaks to the reliance on small, local mills to process grains for consumption. This photograph offers a glimpse into the cyclical nature of farm life, where every member of the family, including children, played an integral role in ensuring that the household was sustained.

This scene also sheds light on the importance of animals, like mules, in rural economies. Mules were often used for carrying goods, plowing fields, and providing transportation, making them indispensable to farmers in regions like Kentucky. The photo is a testament to the resilience of rural families, who, despite facing economic hardship, continued to work tirelessly to support their families and communities.

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