African American Railroad Workers, Port Barre, Louisiana Photo, 1938, Russell Lee

This photo captures a group of African American railroad workers in Port Barre, Louisiana. It provides a glimpse into the working conditions and daily life of laborers in the South in 1938. The photograph is notable for its high level of detail and the expressions of the workers, which convey a sense of exhaustion and determination. 

Russell Lee's photographs from the FSA project are widely regarded as some of the most iconic images of the Great Depression and have been widely published and exhibited. They are now considered important documents of American social and cultural history. He was one of a group of photographers, including Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, who were hired by the FSA to document the lives of rural and urban Americans during the economic crisis.