Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Bound For Glory


The Library of Congress has compiled a terrific online exhibition of color photos taken between 1939 and 1943 by photographers from the Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information.

Bound for Glory: America in Color is the first major exhibition of the little known color images taken by photographers of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information (FSA/OWI). Comprised of seventy digital prints made from color transparencies taken between 1939 and 1943, this exhibition reveals a surprisingly vibrant world that has typically been viewed only through black-and-white images. These vivid scenes and portraits capture the effects of the Depression on America's rural and small town populations, the nation's subsequent economic recovery and industrial growth, and the country's great mobilization for World War II.
Lovely stuff, and well worth an unhurried visit.

6 comments:

Phila said...

Well said as usual, Speechless. Your take on these photos is very similar to mine.

Anonymous said...

Phila, thanks for the link. I was born in 1939 and still remember some things from the early 40's. I have a lot of old family pictures from the 20's, 30's and 40's. Most of them are black/white. Some badly faded ones in color show up about 1947 or so. The pictures you linked to, as well as the old black and white dust bowl days photos paid for by the government, always strike a deep chord of nostalgia and remembrance with me. It takes me back to a different world. Just the old signs on the storefronts make me smile. So much for the old times. Thanks again for the link.

Engineer-Poet said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Engineer-Poet said...

You think that's sweet, look at this.

From a land and culture now largely dead, those relics of an early technology and photographer amaze me.

Phila said...

E-P,

I agree completely! I actually linked to that exhibition a few days ago, but I'm happy to see another plug for it here. Those photos are absolutely breathtaking!

Engineer-Poet said...

Heh, then I probably got that from you.

Must be Alzheimer's kicking in.... ;-)