Picture This

Artifiacts in this featured collection are part of the OMCA's Picture This website. More about the context and history of each of these artifacts is available at Picture This

About Picture This: California's Perspectives on American History is a resource for teachers and students to learn about the experiences of diverse peoples of California by using primary source images from the Oakland Museum of California's collections. Organized into eleven time periods spanning from pre-1769 to the present, more than 300 photographs, drawings, posters, and prints tell stories from the perspectives of different ethnic groups. Historical contexts are provided to offer a framework of California's role in relation to American history.

The National Archives state that primary sources, "fascinate students because they are real and they are personal: history is humanized through them." Picture This invites students to examine the historical record, encouraging them to connect history with real people and explore how images tell stories and convey historical evidence about the human experience. History becomes more than just a series of facts, dates, and events.

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1944

Group portrait of braceros who were brought up during World War II to work on the Southern Pacific Railroad lines here in Oakland. They are posed on the railroad tracks in Oakland.

05/15/56

Vigilance Committee Sharpshooters. Condition: very good. The first Vigilance Committe disbanded in 1851. But there was a continuing perception of violence in San Franicisco. The tide of unrest...

02/16/41

Tribune caption on the back, Feb. 16, 1941, "The sprawling Lockheed aircraft factory at Burbank yesterday came under the critical inspection of Sir Hugh Dowding, British air defense chief,...

Lantern slides. Description: Scenes of San Francisco. "Pre-Fire Chinatown"

1968|1967

Poster. Description: "Ronnie is my choice in '68". Cartoon portrait of Ronald Reagan. Polychrome photolithography on white poster stock. Condition 1; unopened in plastic bag....

1970

Poster on white paper, silk screened in dark green. (Printed on the back of old computer print-outs.) Image is of a fist, "Stop the War". This is one of the many Vietnam War Protest posters...

1599

APPROXIMATE DATE: 1599 NOTES: This is from the Latin edition. ARTIST BIRTH: 1528 ARTIST DEATH: 1598

Stereoscopic views. Scenes of Modoc War neighborhood. Acc. # 26.102 is a negative

c. 1875

The image shows a Chinese miner holding a yoke over his shoulders carrying mining equipment including a rocker or long-tom, and pick-ax and shovel.

1873

Stereo Photograph. Description: From "The Modoc War" series. Shows cave mouth. Albumen stereo. Muybridge's logo appears verso. 8.7cm x 17.6cm. Title: 1602 - Capt. Jack's Cave in the Lava...

07/15/68

This is a rally to free Huey Newton held in front of the Alameda County Court House. Lake Merritt is visible in the background. There is a bus with signs that read "HUEY for Congress, Black...

07/14/68

Photograph of a rally to free Huey Newton which took place in front of the Alameda County Court House in Oakland. People are carrying signs that say "Free Huey". A woman is standing on top of a...

05/19/69

Photo depicts: A line of about a dozen National Guard troops walk across Sproul Administration steps with guns out in front of them. A few students can be seen walking in front of them.

c.1881-1910

Photographs of Indian life. "White deer skin dance, Hupa Tribe, Athapascan family, no. cailf." info from the OMCA green/blue "cross-file record of pictures" paper found in...

c.1880-1910

Photographs of Indian life. "White deer skin dance, Hupa Tribe, Athapascan family, no. cailf." info from the OMCA green/blue "cross-file record of pictures" paper found in...

1900

Photographs of Indian life. The photo depicts people gathered to observe the white deer skin dance. Men, women and children sit and stand in a forested clearing facing people performing the...

c.1880-1910

Photographs of Indian life. "Indian sweat house, Pecwan, Hupa Tribe, Athapascan family, no. cailf." info from the OMCA green/blue "cross-file record of pictures" paper found...

c.1880-1910

Photographs of Indian life. "Indian woman, Hupa Tribe, Athapascan family, Klamath River" info from the OMCA green/blue "cross-file record of pictures" paper found in the...

c.1880-1910

Photographs of Indian life. "Packing wood -- woman, Hupa Tibe, Athapascan family, No. Calif" info from the OMCA green/blue "cross-file record of pictues" paper found in the...

c.1880-1910

Photographs of Indian life. Photographs of Indian life. Photo is of Mrs. Childs, Trinidad, who was 100 years old and blind at time of original photo; (with photo) "The Indian attitude to...

c.1880-1910

Photographs of Indian life. "White deer skin dance, Hupa Tribe, Athapascan family, no. cailf." info from the OMCA green/blue "cross-file record of pictures" paper found in...

1930

Oil painting. Description: "Pipe City" depicting the foot of 5th Street, Oakland.

From the History Information Station:

Object: Pipe City, by Paul A. Schmitt, oil on canvas, circa...

circa 1965

The dark wood sculpture shows a fist clenched in the black power sign, thumb folded over four fingers.

World War II

Painting. Description: First Congregational Church, Berkeley. History: Done by Prof. Obata during WWII relocation experience.

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