Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Good to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Slideshow: Kodachrome Slides From the Farm Security Administration

Kodachrome might be gone, but these high-resolution slides preserve the food and life of Depression-era America in color.

Peter Smith
By Peter SmithJan 12, 2011
Peter Smith
See Full Bio

Of the 145,000 photographs made by photographers employed by the Farm Security Administration (FSA) in the 1930s and 1940s, relatively few were reproduced widely and most of those iconic documentary images frame the Depression in black-and-white images of dispossessed rural people. Still, close to 2,000 frames were shot with the relatively new technology: 4 by 5 Kodachrome slide film.

And as the very last rolls of Kodachrome are being developed this month at Dwayne's Photo Parsons, Kansas, it’s worth looking at these images again—as a colorful a visual record of small-town life and everyday existence. They're a compelling portrait of what America ate and make a great companion to Mark Kurlansky's The Food of a Younger Land.

All the images are property of the Library of Congress and can be found in Bound for Glory: America in Color.

technologymediacultureartphotographyslideshowkodachromefood-of-a-younger-landfsajack-delanobound-for-glorylibrary-of-congressfarm-security-administrationfood and drink

The Latest

heroic teens, house fire, good news, everyday heroes, Island Echo, Hampshire, fire safety, community, elderly rescue, lifesaving
Culture

A 97-year-old was relaxing when 5 teens suddenly appeared in her home. Then they saved her life.

swiffer, cleaning hacks, money saving tips, life hacks, economy
Life hacks

6 Swiffer hacks for an immaculate home that'll save you money, too

siblings, brothers, sisters, sibling relationships, adult relationships
Family

Which sibling pairs are closer, brothers or sisters? Research answers the age-old debate.

concrete, EC3, battery, concrete battery, prototype, MIT, scientists, science
Science & Tech

Solar power times 10: MIT's new concrete battery may revolutionize green energy storage

More For You

Kantaro Inagaki, Shiba Inu, walking across Japan, San-Chan, travel vlog, viral video, TikTok, Japan travel, wholesome story, dog adoption

(L) Man walking down empty road; (R) A Shibu Inu in the woods

Canva

A man was walking across Japan alone for 256 days. Then he met a tiny Shiba Inu.

For 256 days, Kantaro Inagaki walked across Japan alone, documenting his incredible journey for a growing online audience. But on day 257, his solo adventure took a heartwarming turn that would make him and his new companion internet famous.

Inagaki’s journey, which he calls the “Walking Tour of Japan,” began from a simple desire to better understand his own country. “I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the world, but at some point, I realized that I didn’t know my own country, Japan, as well as I should,” he explained in an exclusive interview with Upworthy. “The idea of walking across Japan started as a simple thought, but when it came to me, I felt an overwhelming excitement deep in my heart.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Japanese aquarium, Kaikyokan Aquarium, sunfish, animal enrichment, lonely fish, good news, viral story, animal welfare, creative solutions, Shimonoseki

A young girl watches fish in an aquarium

Canva

A Japanese aquarium's sunfish got lonely. Their low-tech solution was brilliantly adorable.

When the Kaikyokan Aquarium in Shimonoseki, Japan, temporarily closed for renovations late last year, the staff noticed one of their most popular residents was not doing well. A beloved ocean sunfish had stopped eating and started exhibiting strange behaviors, and no one could figure out why. After exhausting the usual medical explanations, a staff member floated a wild theory.

“Maybe it’s lonely because it misses the visitors?” they suggested, according to a post on the aquarium's X account.

Keep ReadingShow less
Will Ferrell, success, comedy, dreams, vocation, work

Will Ferrell's success was due to an "anti-pep talk" from his dad.

via Will Ferrell/Wikimedia Commons

Will Ferrell reveals how his dad's 'anti-pep talk' led him to wild comedy success

Will Ferrell is one of the most celebrated and successful comedians in the world, with several years of making audiences laugh on Saturday Night Live and decades of making popular comedies on the big screen. From Anchorman to Elf, Ferrell’s work has and will continue to stand the test of time.

One would figure that his success comes from constant encouragement from his family and belief in himself, but he actually had the complete opposite happen to him. In an interview on Off Camera with Sam Jones, Ferrell shared that before he started breaking into comedy, his dad offered him some pragmatic wisdom that could leave others bewitched.

Keep ReadingShow less
McDonald's, employee bonus, bad boss, corporate culture, Reddit, viral story, worker appreciation, low wages, fast food, employee gift

Woman at work looks at her laptop

Canva

A McDonald's employee shared their yearly 'bonus' and people couldn't believe it

At the end of a long year, a gesture of appreciation from an employer can go a long way. But for one McDonald's worker, the company's attempt at a "bonus" was so underwhelming it went viral, sparking a wave of online outrage and commiseration.

In a post on Reddit, user u/MMS37 shared a photo of the gift they received from the fast-food giant. "I work for one of the biggest companies in the world. This was my bonus," they wrote.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jeff Bridges, Jimmy Kimmel Live, celebrity, The Dude, The Big Lebowski, Oscar-winning actor, ICE, Trump

Jeff Bridges performs 'The Dude' on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Image via YouTube from Jimmy Kimmel Live

Jeff Bridges revives classic 'The Dude' Lebowski character to tell Americans to 'calm down'

There's a lot of political strife happening in America these days, and many people can't stand how aggressive and partisan things have become in our country.

Bringing a little levity to the situation was Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges. During his guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on October 7, promoting his new movie, Tron: Ares, he embraced his iconic character, "The Dude," from the classic Coen Brothers film The Big Lebowski, Bridges. The Dude's message to the American people: "Calm down."

Keep ReadingShow less
Sydney Frost, viral baby, Carson, NFL, TikTok, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, chunky baby, good news, parenting

Toddler holds a stuffed animale

Canva

This 33-pound 'linebacker' baby took over TikTok and caught the NFL's eye

Earlier this year, Texas mom Sydney Frost posted a playful TikTok of her five-month-old son, Carson, that turned him into an overnight internet sensation and the NFL's most sought-after prospect... for the 2045 draft.

In the video, which has since exploded with over 17 million views, Frost jokingly uses Carson’s impressively round tummy as a rotary phone to "dial" the NFL. Her caption read: “Dialing the NFL now… Breaking news: No contract for these rolls yet. Coaches, what’s the holdup?”

Keep ReadingShow less
oncology nurse, chemotherapy, patient care, innovation, acts of kindness, Whitney Carpenter, Levine Cancer Institute, CBS News, healthcare heroes, patient dignity

Female chemo patient hugs someone

Canva

A nurse saw her chemo patients struggle with their clothes. So she invented her own solution.

For patients undergoing chemotherapy, treatment days are filled with profound challenges, both big and small. Whitney Carpenter, an oncology nurse at Levine Cancer Institute in South Carolina, noticed one of the smaller, more persistent struggles: the simple act of getting dressed. Her heartfelt solution has since grown from a personal project into an inspiring community movement.

As she explained in a CBS News feature, many of her patients receive treatment through a chest port, a small device implanted under the skin. Accessing this port often requires patients to stretch their collars or partially undress, leaving them feeling uncomfortable and exposed. While specialized "port shirts" with built-in access exist, they can be prohibitively expensive.

Keep ReadingShow less
self-care, doomscrolling, mental health, habits, addiction, phone, technology

One woman scrolls, the other reads.

via Canva/Photos

People committed to 'simple living' share the 7 things you can do instead of doomscrolling

Our brain loves repetitive patterns of easy, stimulating imagery and sound. The addictive nature is so strong that there's a term to describe it: doomscrolling. It's so easy to engage, and considerable research and investment have been made to encourage us to stare mindlessly at our phones. For some of us, it's a simple distraction. For others, its an addiction is robbing them of a big part of their lives.

Given that the average person spends over four hours a day staring at their phones, imagine what could happen if we used that time for something more positive and productive. Doomscrolling isn't just bad for our mental health, but it's a time thief that prevents us from engaging in activities that build us up.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025