Manpower: Negro Navy Yard Workers. In a sea of silk this woman worker is making parachutes for America's paratroopers. She is one of many Negro employees in the aircraft factory of an eastern navy yard.
| Artist | Alexander Liberman (American, 1912–1999) |
|---|---|
| Title | Manpower: Negro Navy Yard Workers. In a sea of silk this woman worker is making parachutes for America's paratroopers. She is one of many Negro employees in the aircraft factory of an eastern navy yard. |
| Date | May 1942 |
| Medium | Gelatin silver print |
| Dimensions | Image: 5 5/8 × 7 5/8 in. (14.3 × 19.4 cm) Sheet: 9 5/8 × 7 7/8 in. (24.5 × 20 cm) |
| Credit Line | Henry Holmes Smith Archive, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 79.200.XX.27.1 |
| This artwork is currently off display. You may be able to see this artwork by filling out an art viewing room request. | |
In order to solve their labor shortages during World War II, factories began hiring women and minorities for positions that had typically been reserved for white men. Despite protest from anti-integrationists and some racist labor unions, the Office of War Information (OWI) featured positive images of hard-working minority employees who were shown contributing to the war effort through various industries. OWI photographs of African Americans, which were sometimes circulated through the country's newspapers, were sometimes the first photographs of African Americans to appear outside of the sports section. Displayed with 200.XX.10.16, 200.XX.22.4, 200.XX.22.3. Curated by Maura Campbell-Balkits, IU Dept. of Communication and Culture.
| Publisher | Office for Emergency Management |
|---|
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Manpower: Negro Navy Yard Workers. In a sea of silk this woman worker is making parachutes for America's paratroopers. She is one of many Negro employees in the aircraft factory of an eastern navy yard. | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=79.200.XX.27.1