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January 1941. "Window in home of unemployed steelworker. Ambridge, Pennsylvania." Medium-format negative by John Vachon. View full size.
I admire the "God Bless America" sign in the window despite his employment status at the time. Faith in his Country and in the Future. We need more of that can do attitude today. Rough times, yes, but this is America! Nothing is impossible!
That looks like a nice clivia being nurtured through the winter on the window sill. The leaf tips are so pointy because the brown parts were scissored off to keep the plant looking good. The lumpy little thing in the small pot to its right is looks like a starter cutting from an epiphyllum, probably a Christmas or Easter cactus, and a longtime favorite of cold-climate indoor gardeners.
I remember the door of my father's laundry store had, what must have been, a holographic banner with an American flag in the center and when you looked toward the left a picture of General Eisenhower appeared and to the right, one
of General MacArthur.
Just think... if this is January 1941, this guy is about to go from unemployed to working 12 hour shifts seven days a week for three years in the next 12 months. WOW.
I wonder what the house number was.
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