http://jessicadoeshistory.com/cnd/exhibits/show/heather-dietz–answering-the-n/heatherdietzannotation
http://jessicadoeshistory.com/cnd/admin/items/show/182
I chose my image at first by clicking randomly through the pages of the FSA photographs to see which of the many would catch my eye. I came across a page that seemed to be focused on the working class of America in the 1930s and the images caught my attention. My image in particular caught my attention because I felt it represented the working woman very well and it was very empowering to me. I feel it revealed that the documentary evidence was very unfiltered in the 1930s. I feel that it is because they wanted to capture every moment, such as women entering the workplace. The picture depicts a woman, Virginia Davis, working in a factory which surprised me in a sense because I did not think there would be photographs depicting women in the workplace published in 1940. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized its validity. The background of the image was given. The background stated that Virginia Davis “made arrangement for the care of her two children during the day and joined her husband at work in the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas. Both are employed under Civil Service in the Assembly and repair department. Mrs. Davis’ training will enable her to take the place of her husband should he be called by the armed service” (Hollem 1942).
What made me understand the validity of the picture was the fact that I considered the description of the picture and realized that the photographer, Howard Hollem, was most likely attempting to promote women in the workplace. By promoting them, he was not only empowering these women and showing them they were equally capable of performing a “man’s job”, but he was also doing their families a service as the women would work in place of the men causing no negative affect on the income or well being of the family. I believe the picture has a very strong impact socially. I think it portrays women as strong and in a different light than they have been portrayed in before as housewives.
