Born 1914 as Jacob Ovcharov in Voroshilovka, Podolie Governorate, Russian Empire (now Vorošýlivka, Ukraine) and moved, with his parents and younger brother, to the United States in 1923, American photographer Jack Delano worked for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and was also a composer noted for his use of Puerto Rican folk material.
After graduating from the Academy, Delano started working as a freelance photographer in Philadelphia and New York. He also developed an interest in films, and together with his future wife Irene Esser started making short documentaries.
Impressed by the work of famous photographers like Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, Delano applied for a job with the historical section of the FSA (Farm Security Administration) in 1940. For the next years he traveled throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. All through this time Delano’s primary assignment was to document the social and working conditions of people in FSA projects. All of this was happening during the Second World War, and Delano was drafted in 1943.
Delano traveled throughout the South Pacific and South America before being discharged in 1946.
These amazing photographs Delano took for the Farm Security Administration-Office of War Information that documented everyday life of the US during WWII.
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| Connecticut. 75¢ Thanksgiving. On a main street in Norwich, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. A Glimpse of Thanksgiving. At the Crouch family Thanksgiving Day dinner, Ledyard, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. A Woman window shopping on a rainy day in Norwich, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. All Downhill. Children sledding in Jewett City, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. Five & Dime. Main street intersection in Norwich on a rainy day, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. House Rooms. Norwich on a rainy day, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. Main street intersection in Norwich, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. Mercury on Main. A rainy day view of a main street intersection in Norwich, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. Passengers Anonymous. People in a bus on rainy day in Norwich, November 1940 |
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| Connecticut. Playing in Traffic. Two Children playing in snow in Norwich, November-December 1940 |
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| Connecticut. Rainy Day Chaperone. Coming home from school on a rainy day in Norwich, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. Rainy Day Confidential. Waiting for a bus in Norwich, November 1940 |
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| Connecticut. Scene in Colchester, November-December 1940 |
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| Connecticut. Shelter for Two. Main street intersection in Norwich on a rainy day, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. Snowdust. Street in Norwich, November 1940 |
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| Connecticut. Traffic Cop. Norwich on a rainy day, November 1940 |
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| Connecticut. Wet Crossing. Norwich on a rainy day, November 1940 |
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| Connecticut. What Are Friends For. Norwich on a rainy day, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. Young school girl waiting for a bus on a rainy day in Norwich, November 1940 |
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| Connecticut. Youth in Winter. Street in Norwich, November 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Connecticut. Yuletide Derby. The main street of Derby decorated for the Christmas season, December 1940 |
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| Illinois. Chicago Noir. Special agent making his rounds at night at the South Water Street freight terminal of the Illinois Central Railroad, Chicago, May 1943 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Illinois. Crossroads of the World. Union Station concourse showing display the flags of the Allied Nations, Chicago, January 1943 |
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| Illinois. Shedding Light. In the waiting room of the Union Station, Chicago, January 1943 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Illinois. Steel Thunderbolts. A Steam and a diesel engine at the Union Station yards in Chicago, January 1943 |
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| Illinois. Union Arch. Exit of the underground tunnel through Union Station which is used by taxis and trucks, Chicago, January 1943 |
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| Iowa. It’s Been Good to Know Ya. Wolfsmith waves good-bye. Freight ops of the Chicago & Northwestern RR between Chicago and Clinton, January 1943 |
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| Maine. Saturday afternoon on main street in Caribou, October 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Maine. Two of the Dumond children at the back door of their home in Lille. The family are French-Canadian potato farmers and Farm Security Administration clients, October 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Massachusetts. Nocturne. A Foggy Night in New Bedford, 1940 |
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| Massachusetts. On Little Cat Feet. Foggy Night street scene in New Bedford, 1940 |
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| Massachusetts. Working Class Hearths. A Syrian neighborhood near the shipyards. Slum area where many shipyard workers live. Winter Street, Quincy, December 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| New Mexico. Workin’ on the Railroad. Portrait of Abbie Caldwell, employed in the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad yard to clean out potash cars, Clovis, March 1943 |
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| North Carolina. Map Quest. Florida migrants studying a road map before leaving Elizabeth City for the state of Delaware, 1940 |
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| North Carolina. Night Owls’ Roost. A hamburger shop in Durham. George’s Grill, open all night, May 1940 |
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| North Carolina. The Long Shadows. Traffic on the main street of Fayetteville, North Carolina at about five o’clock, when the workers start coming out at Fort Bragg, March 1941 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| North Carolina. Workmen’s Lunch. Migratory agricultural workers having supper at the store in Belcross, 1940 |
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| Pennsylvania. Knocking Off. The end of the afternoon shift at the Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation in Aliquippa, January 1941 |
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| Pennsylvania. Sunday Best. Congregation of a Black church in the mill district of Pittsburgh, January 1941 |
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| Rhode Island. Torrential. On a rainy day in Providence, December 1940 |
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| Texas. Streamline Intersection. View of Main Street in Fort Worth, January 1942 |
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| Texas. View of the tarmac at Meacham Field, Fort Worth, January 1942 |
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| Vermont. A Conversation. On the main street of Bellows Falls, August 1941 |
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| Virginia. Roadside Style. Migratory agricultural worker waiting at the Little Creek end for the Norfolk-Cape Charles ferry, July 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Virginia. Sailor Man. On board the ‘Princess Anne’ super-deluxe luxury liner ferry plying between Little Creek, Virginia (Norfolk) and Cape Charles, 1940 |
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| Washington, D.C. At a truck service station on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue), 1940 |
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| Washington, D.C. Blue Plate Lunch. In the cafe at a truck drivers’ service station on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue), June 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Washington, D.C. Free sleeping quarters for truck drivers at a truck service station on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue), June 1940 |
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| Washington, D.C. Instant Messaging. Direct postal telegraph wire at a truck service station on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue), 1940 |
Everyday Life of the US During WWII Through Jack Delano’s Lens
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| Washington, D.C. Pit Stop. In the cafe at a truck drivers’ service station on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue), June 1940 |