By Susan Tallant/editor-in-chief
A powerful exhibit revealing images of America’s strength, resolve, hardship and poverty opened last week on NE Campus.
This Great Nation Will Endure, a traveling exhibit that displays photographs taken during the Great Depression, includes photos by more than 150 Farm Security Administration photographers. The exhibit officially opened Feb. 1 with a special guest speaker.
Allen Weinstein, U.S. archivist, introduced the exhibit and helped cut the ribbon to launch the event.
“ The photos in this exhibit capture the mood of the country during that period,” he said. “These records are treasures.”
Linda Wright, history professor and department chair who helped organize the event, said many of the photos have been displayed in the media before but seeing them in this type of setting is more powerful.
“ This is a wonderful exhibit,” she said. “We are certainly excited to be sharing this with our students and community.”
William Wysoski, NE student who attended the opening, developed an interest in the Great Depression while writing a report about the era for an eighth grade assignment.
“ It made me look at what I have with a greater appreciation,” he said.
Mike Kelley, a TCC staff member and history buff, helped set up media for the event.
“ [The exhibit] is beautiful,” he said. “It is nice to have something of this magnitude on campus.”
Dr. Leonardo De la Garza, chancellor, said seeing the exhibit really hits home for those who were youngsters during the time period. He remembers looking at family pictures from back in the ’20s when everyone owned land and new cars, and then seeing pictures of the next decade, which were not as pleasant.
De la Garza is one of six children. His dad had three jobs and worked from early in the morning until late at night to feed the family.
He said the ones working the land were a bit better off than those who did not have the ranch experience during this era.
“ We really didn’t have a basis of comparison to say ‘woe is me.’ We were just like everybody else,” he said. “But we never went hungry. We had milk, and we had meat and eggs from the chickens we raised.”
De la Garza said those really were not the good old days, even though he has some wonderful memories.
“ Strength, caring and love are what kept us together,” he said, “a whole lotta love and not going hungry.”
The free exhibit is open now through March 9 in NSTU Center Corner. Tours are offered for groups of five or more.
For more information, call student services at 817-515-6644.
