A Comprehensive Examination of the Conflicted Legacy of American Labor History
Title: American Job: 1940–2011 — A Photographic Chronicle of Work, Struggle, and Solidarity in the U.S.
The International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York City is currently hosting an evocative and politically charged exhibition titled American Job: 1940–2011. On display through May 5, this significant show offers an unflinching look at the American labor force across seven decades, encompassing themes of economic upheaval, racial and gender inequality, political movements, and the dignity of everyday work.
Curated by Makeda Best, American Job assembles the work of over 40 photographers to present a complex narrative of labor history in the United States. From iconic images of midcentury coal miners to striking sanitation workers in 1960s Memphis, the exhibition captures the evolving landscape of labor through moments of protest, perseverance, and professionalism.
A Visual Archive of American Labor
This exhibition is divided into five chronological sections, each representing different eras of labor and sociopolitical struggle. The photographs document not only shifts in industry but also concurrent changes in societal values, governmental policy, and grassroots activism. Across walls and display cases, viewers will find familiar names like Cornell Capa, W. Eugene Smith, and Ernest Withers, as well as images from lesser-known photographers and anonymous contributors associated with early labor-activist collectives like the Workers Film and Photo League.
One emotionally resonant piece is Withers’s famous 1968 image of Black sanitation workers in Memphis holding placards that proclaim “I Am a Man.” The photograph, stark in its messaging and human in its emotional gravity, continues to resonate deeply, especially in a time when fights for racial and economic justice remain ongoing.
Labor, Politics, and Media
The exhibition also highlights how the media played an integral role in shaping public understanding of labor. Photojournalism pieces first published in Life magazine, for example, show the ways photography could amplify marginalized voices. W. Eugene Smith’s “Nurse Midwife” profile of Maude Callen, a Black medical professional tirelessly serving rural South Carolina communities, stands out both for its documentary integrity and its wide reach when first published.
Other photographs immerse viewers into protest marches, factory floors, and office cubicles. Bettye Lane captures women demanding jobs at New York City Hall in 1977, while Ken Light documents a sandblaster in Berkeley haphazardly shielded from industrial dust—a rare, visceral testimony to the physical toll of certain labor sectors.
A Missed Opportunity for Photographic Critique
While the historical and emotional storytelling is undeniable, some critics note that the show stops short of engaging deeply with photography as a medium. The curatorial narrative tends to emphasize the what—what happened, who was there—without providing much insight into the how. Little attention is given to how photos were staged (or not), circulated, or perceived by wider audiences. Nor is there discussion of photography itself as labor—though producing, developing, and disseminating images surely involved its own set of toil, conditions, and hierarchies.
Moreover, the physical presentation of the photographs has raised concerns. Reflections and glare on protective glass often obscure details, detracting from the visual clarity that such an exhibition warrants—especially in a venue devoted specifically to photography.
Historical Continuity and Relevance
Despite these drawbacks, American Job succeeds in prompting reflection on the cyclical nature of labor and protest in the U.S. The exhibition invites viewers not only to look at history but to see its repetition: from labor disputes in the 1940s to the fight for fair wages in the 2000s, the struggles on display feel hauntingly contemporary. The curatorial choice to invoke Joe Hill’s revolutionary credo—”Don’t mourn, organize!”—underscores that while the names and uniforms may change, the core battles remain eerily familiar.
At a time when labor unions are resurging, workplace equity is again in public discourse, and post-pandemic burnout fuels a reexamination of work-life values, American Job feels especially pertinent. Its timeliness is not tied to the present alone—it resonates because it draws upon a continuity of resistance, resilience, and reform.
Conclusion
American Job: 1940–2011 is more than a visit to a photography museum—it is an immersive experience into the lives, struggles, and strength of American workers across a turbulent century. Whether you are a student of labor history, a lover of documentary photography, or simply someone navigating today’s complicated work culture, this exhibition offers moments to reflect, mourn, and organize.
American Job: 1940–2011 is on view at the International Center of Photography Museum in Manhattan through May 5, 2024.