United States. Farm Security Administration.Historical Section.Photographs Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Type:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Citation:
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Arthur Rothstein, 1964 May 25. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Documentary photography -- United States Search this
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews Search this
An interview of Arthur Rothstein conducted in New York, N.Y., 1964 May 25, by Richard Doud, for the Archives of American Art.
Rothstein speaks of the development of his interest in photography as a hobby while in pre-medical school during the Depression; meeting Roy Stryker and his early impressions of Stryker; the Resettlement Administration and its growth into the Farm Security Administration (FSA); the educational experience of working under Stryker's guidance; the influence of Ben Shahn and Walker Evans; the traveling experience and its influence on him; early assignments; developing as a photographer; documenting the Dust Bowl; the "skull" series and the controversy surrounding it; usage of the FSA works; the FSA's contribution to Rothstein's life and personal development; and going to work for LOOK magazine. He recalls Carl Mydans and Russell Lee.
Biographical / Historical:
Arthur Rothstein (1915-1985) was a photographer from New York, N.Y.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 11 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Topic:
Documentary photography -- United States Search this
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews Search this
Genre/Form:
Interviews
Sound recordings
Sponsor:
Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
An interview of Ben Shahn conducted 1964 April 14, by Richard K. Doud, for the Archives of American Art New Deal and the Arts Project.
Shahn speaks of his travels and work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA); the American image as portrayed by FSA photographs; techniques and materials; exhibitions and publications of his work; and the effectiveness of the FSA project overall. He recalls Roy Stryker, Walker Evans, Arthur Rothstein, Edwin Rosskam and Dorothea Lange.
Biographical / Historical:
Ben Shahn (1898-1969) was a painter and photographer from Roosevelt, N.J.
General:
Originally recorded 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 23 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
An interview of Roy Emerson Stryker conducted 1963-1965, by Richard Doud, for the Archives of American Art, at the artist's home, in Montrose, Colorado.
Stryker speaks of his youth; early career in ranching and social work; the origin of the photography project in the Farm Security Administration; bureaucratic problems; photography and journalism; photographers on the project; subjects' reaction to being photographed; public perception of the FSA project; Paul Vanderbilt's work with the project's photographs; ethics of the photographers and staff; interaction between the photographers and subjects; the influence of earlier documentary photographers, such as Matthew Brady and Lewis Hine; political and media problems with the project; use of the photographs as a force in social change; and other issues surrounding the FSA photography project. He recalls Jack Delano, John Vachon, Edwin Rosskam, Arthur Rothstein, Rexford Tugwell, John Collier, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee, Carl Mydans, Ben Shahn, and Marion Post Wolcott.
Biographical / Historical:
Roy Emerson Stryker (1893-1975) was the director of the Farm Security Administration Historical Section of Washington, D.C. Under Stryker the Photographic project of the FSA documented the drought, poverty and despair of rural and urban America during the Depression.
General:
Originally recorded on 5 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 9 digital wav files. Duration is 8 hr.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Sponsor:
Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
An interview of Russell and Jean Lee conducted 1964 June 2, by Richard Doud, for the Archives of American Art.
Russell speaks of his background and education; his early interest in photography; meeting Roy Stryker and Ben Shahn; early assignments with FSA covering floods and droughts in the Midwest; overcoming technical problems while traveling around; cameras he experimented with; working in small towns and rural areas; working under Roy Stryker. He recalls John Vachon, Arthur Rothstein, and Walker Evans. Jean speaks of her first association with the FSA and working under Paul Vanderbilt. Both give personal opinions of the value of the work produced by the FSA, and speak of feelings toward the rural people who were the focus of the FSA project.
Biographical / Historical:
Russell Lee (1903-1986) was a photographer with the Farm Security Administration. Jean Russell was an administrator under Paul Vanderbilt with the Farm Security Administration of Austin, Tex.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 44 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Occupation:
Arts administrators -- Texas -- Austin -- Interviews Search this
An interview of Dorothea Lange conducted 1964 May 22, by Richard Doud, for the Archives of American Art.
Lange speaks of her decision of photography as a career; working in commercial photography; the development of her individual style; the organization of the Farm Security Administration and her association with it; camaraderie among the FSA staff; Roy Stryker's influence and guidance and political abilities; the subjects of photographs and their reactions to being photographed; the people she encountered and her feelings about them, including migratory workers and Dust Bowl farmers; opinions of her colleagues; what made the FSA a success; trends in the field of photography and photojournalism and its future.
She recalls Walker Evans, Arthur Rothstein, John Vachon and Paul Vanderbilt.
Biographical / Historical:
Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) was a photographer in California. Lange worked on FSA photograph project during the Depression.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 1 hr., 51 min.
Provenance:
This interview conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Transcripts of interviews conducted by Arnold Crane. Interviewees include Ansel Adams, Berenice Abbott, Gyula Brassai, Imogen Cunningham, Walker Evans, Andre Jammes, Andre Kertesz, Man Ray, Arthur Rothstein, Aaron Siskind, W. Eugene Smith, Paul Strand and Minor White.
Biographical / Historical:
Photographer, and photograph collector; Chicago, Illinois.
Provenance:
Donated by Arnold Crane.
Restrictions:
All interviews are ACCESS RESTRICTED; written permission required of Cynthia Crane.
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Scattered textual records selected from the Farm Security Administration, Historical Section records at the Library of Congress and the Farmers Home Administration records at the National Archives primarily revolving around activities of Roy Stryker. Included are personnel and travel records, typescripts of photograph captions, correspondence, memoranda, files on public relations and exhibits, and printed material.
218 copy prints of photographs of America taken for the FSA, including landscapes, people, homes and other architecture, rural scenes, urban scenes, workers, products of farm and industry, transportation, entertainment, and the Quarter Circle U Ranch, Birney, Montana. Photographers include: Arthur Rothstein, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, John Collier, Marion Post Wolcott, Jack Delano, Russell Lee, John Vachon, Ben Shahn, Carl Mydans, and Edwin Rosskam.
Biographical / Historical:
Established 1935 in the Resettlement Administration Historical Section's photographic project to document poverty stricken rural America under the direction of Roy E. Stryker. In 1937, Roosevelt established the FSA, and the Resettlement Administration and its programs fell under its auspices. The Historical Section of the Resettlement Administration remained intact under the FSA, and continued its photographic survey and historical documentation under Stryker's direction.
After 1942, the photographs project was transplanted to the Office War Information, and the emphasis of the project shifted from rural and urban conditions throughout Depression-era U.S. to the domestic impact of the war. In 1946, Congress created the Farmers Home Administration (FHA) which absorbed the FSA and its programs.
Related Materials:
Additional FSA-OWI records located at: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (microfilm available at LC)
Additional Stryker papers located at: Photographic Archives University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. 40208
Provenance:
Microfilm and copy prints donated by the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, 1965.
Reel FSA/WDC2: Record Group 96, textual records of the Farmers Home Administration include the records of the FSA, predecessor to the FHA.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Topic:
Photography -- United States -- Landscape -- Photographs Search this
Photography -- United States -- Portraits -- Photographs Search this
Architectural photography -- United States -- Photographs Search this
Federal aid to the public welfare -- Photographs Search this
Papers documenting Stryker's career as the head of the Farm Security Administration's photographic section, including correspondence with John Collier, Jack Delano, Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee, Edwin Locke, Arthur Rothstein, John Vachon, Marion Post Wolcott and others; reports; articles on Stryker and the FSA; publications; speeches; photographs and miscellaneous materials.
Biographical / Historical:
Director of the Farm Security Administration Historical Section; Washington, D.C. Under Stryker the Photographic project of the FSA documented the drought, poverty and despair of rural and urban America during the Depression.
Provenance:
Papers lent for microfilming 1963-1966 by Roy Stryker.
Photographer, and photograph collector; Chicago, Illinois.
Provenance:
Donated 1978 by Herbert Molner, a photograph collector.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm.
3.3 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 1 reel))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1925-1977
Scope and Contents:
Correspondence; an autobiography; resumes; writings and notes; sketchbook; 2 scrapbooks; inventory of paintings; bank statements and records of stock market transactions; photographs; and printed material.
REEL LA 2: Clippings and exhibition catalogs, ca. 1941-1946.
UNMICROFILMED: A brief autobiography; resumes; personal and business correspondence; unpublished writings and notes including a report on Deutsch's murals done for the Public Buildings Administration Section of Fine Arts at the U.S. Post Office Terminal in Los Angeles, California, ca. 1940; a sketchbook, 1934; 2 scrapbooks; a handwritten inventory of paintings; bank statements and records of stock market transactions; 500 photos of Deutsch, his wife, his paintings and other subjects, including some taken by Will Cormellsa, Arnold Genthe, and a Resettlement Administration photo by Arthur Rothstein; exhibition catalogs and announcements; clippings; and printed material.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter; Los Angeles, California.
Provenance:
Material on reel LA 2 lent for microfilming 1964 by Betty Hoag. Unmicrofmiled material donated 1980 by the estate of Boris Deutsch.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm.
Correspondence, notes and writings concerning photography, art work, printed material, subject files, and a slide set.
Four biographical accounts and photographs of Rothstein (1984) and of two certificates from 1945 and 1960; correspondence (1937-1983) concerning Rothstein's activities as a photographer, including letters to and from Roy Stryker (1930-1942), thank-you notes from young students to whom Rothstein presented a talk,1960, and letters concerning the Bicentennial, 1975.
Other materials include a 1954 transcript of a meeting of the U.S. Camera Publishing Corporation, miscellaneous notes (1947-1957), typescripts for Rothstein's books, CREATIVE COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY (introduction and Chapter I), PICTURES FOR PUBLICATION - A GUIDE TO PHOTOJOURNALISM, and WORDS AND PICTURES, typed galleys (1956-1963) for Rothstein's photography columns for LOOK magazine, art work for three covers of BOYS' LIFE magazine, 1962.
Among the printed materials are clippings (1951-1984), press releases (1955-1972), galleys (1976), exhibition announcements and catalogs (1945-1974), teaching and lecture brochures (1953-1974), a copy of the Resettlement Administration's first annual report (1936); copies of the 1972 INFINITY magazine issues edited by Rothstein, and his books THE DEPRESSION YEARS (1978) and WORDS AND PICTURES (1979).
Subject files concern an 1943 Army photo course taught by Rothstein, story ideas (1969-1970) and Columbia journalism (1966-1968) and are accompanied by a slide set with a 1979 brochure on "America in the Depression Years".
Biographical / Historical:
Photographer; New York City. Died 1985 After earning a B.A. from Columbia College, Rothstein was a photographer with the U.S. Farm Security Administration from 1935-1940. He worked for LOOK magazine from 1940 until 1943, when he served as a Photo Officer with the U.S. Army Signal Corps in China, Burma, and India until 1946. Upon completion of his military service, Rothstein became the Director of Photography for LOOK magazine until 1971. From 1971-1972, he was Editor of INFINITY magazine, and was Associate Editor (1972-1976) and Director of Photography (beginning in 1976) for PARADE magazine.
Provenance:
Donated 1984 by Arthur Rothstein.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Photographers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Topic:
Commercial photography -- United States Search this
Documentary photography -- United States Search this
Just before the war : urban America from 1935 to 1941 as seen by photographers of the Farm Security Administration : from the collections of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. / organized by Newport Harbor Art Museum, Balboa, California
Look at us; let's see; here we are; look hard, speak soft; I see, you see, we all see; stop, look, listen; beholder's eye; don't look now, but isn't that you? (us? U.S.?) Photos. by Arthur Rothstein
