The Smithsonian is coming, the Smithsonian is coming!
The Na onal Archives and Smithsonian explore America’s labor history in traveling exhibi on
Story and artwork courtesy of Har-Ber Village Museum
Har-Ber Village Museum, in Grove, Okla., has been chosen as a host venue for the
2017 tour of the Smithsonian Ins tu on’s exhibit, “The Way We Worked” from March 24 through May 8, 2017.
Work and the workplace have gone through enormous changes between the mid-19th century, when 60 percent of Americans made their living as farmers, and the late- 20th century, with its shi from an industrial to a knowledge-based economy. “The Way We Worked” reveals the eff ects of industrializa on, urbaniza on, immigra on, labor unrest, wars, and economic depression on ordinary working Americans, whether they toiled in a coal mine, on a tractor, at a typewriter, or on an assembly line.
Spanning the years 1857-1987, the exhibi on’s 86 black-and-white and color photographs document, in rich visual detail, American workplaces, work clothing, working condi ons, and workplace confl icts. The images featured in “The Way We Worked,” though possibly taken merely for purposes of record keeping, o en reveal much more about how social forces such as immigra on, gender, ethnicity, class and technology have transformed the workforce.
“Har-Ber Village is honored to have been selected as one of fi ve sites in Oklahoma in which the exhibit will tour in 2017,” stated Amelia Chamberlain, Execu ve Director of Har-Ber Village Museum. “The tour was made possible by the Oklahoma Humani es Council.”
The exhibit showcases the changes in the U.S. workforce and work environments over the past 150 years through photographs and video footage from the Na onal Archives. The exhibit celebrates workers from offi ces, factories, on the road and at home for being real American heroes through contribu ons to industry and American culture.
Created by the Na onal Archives, “The Way We Worked” exhibit is part of the Museum on Main Street collabora on between the
8 - NE Connection
Smithsonian Ins tu on and State Humani es Councils na onwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress. The Museum on Main Street program was developed for small town audiences and as a means to draw a en on to those communi es through local museums and historical socie es.
“The exhibi on is divided into fi ve sec ons,” con nued Chamberlain:
“WHERE We Worked” explores the places Americans worked, from farms to factories, mines to restaurants, as well as how race and gender o en determined roles and status.
“HOW We Worked” examines the eff ects of technology and automa on on the workplace with images of people on assembly lines or using their tools of trade.
“What We WORE to Work” looks at the way uniforms serve as badges of authority and status, and help make occupa ons immediately iden fi able.
“CONFLICT at Work” looks back at not just the inevitable clashes between workers and managers over working condi ons, wages and hours, but also how social confl icts, such as segrega on, have infl uenced the workplace.
“DANGEROUS or UNHEALTHY Work” features many of the photographs taken by social reformers hoping to ban child labor, reduce the length of the work day and expose unsanitary workplaces.
Supplemen ng “The Way We Worked” exhibi on will be a companion exhibit from the Oklahoma Historical Society highligh ng work in Oklahoma. “And, Har-Ber Village Museum will be installing its own interpre ve text panels in several exhibits with a focus on the same work theme and an emphasis on Delaware County,” said Chamberlain. “Although the Smithsonian and Oklahoma Historical Society exhibits will travel to another site a er eight weeks, the new panels in the Village will remain on permanent display thanks to funding from the Oklahoma Humani es Council and the Na onal Endowment for the Humani es,” she added.
The V.I.P. recep on will be held on Friday, March 24, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Refreshments and a special program are planned. Current 2017 members will receive invita ons. Renew or become a member by calling 918-786-3488 or registering online at
har-bervillage.com to a end this recep on. Reserva ons are required for this event. *966206*
“The Way We Worked” public opening is scheduled for Saturday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is free with regular admission. At 1 p.m., Humani es Scholar David Gray will show the Charlie Chaplin movie, “Modern Times,” and lead a discussion about how work and our concept of work has changed over me—or not! Arrive at the Visitor Center no later than 12:45 p.m. to be directed to fi lm loca on in the museum. During the opening event, visitors will be able to tour the museum and experience several of the changes that have been added since the 2016 season.
“It is a special thing to have been selected for an exhibi on such as this. We hope our community takes me to come and view it. Admission to ‘The Way We Worked’ is free. Regular admission will be charged to tour the Village,” said Chamberlain. “We encourage everyone to check the Village website and Facebook page for updates on related ac vi es and programs.”
Please note Har-Ber Village Museum’s new hours: Thursday through Monday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission is $10 for adults; $7.50 for seniors 62+; $5 for children 6-13; under 6 and members free.
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