The Photographs of Jack Delano

Providing a unique view of American life during the Great Depression and Second World War, each volume in the Fields of Vision series focuses on a single photographer whose vision helped shape the collective identity of America and influenced the way we look at photographs in the 21st century. All of the images in each volume are chosen from the Library of Congress’s renowned collection of Farm Security Administration (FSA) and Office of War Information (OWI) photographs.

Jack Delano (1914–1997) became interested in photography after studying graphic arts and music at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. In 1939, he joined the Farm Security Administration as a staff photographer. Delano photographed living and working conditions throughout the East Coast and Puerto Rico during his time with the agency. He later settled in Puerto Rico, working as a photographer for the Puerto Rican government and pursuing a myriad of projects in illustration, film, media, and musical composition.