dc:identifier=httphdllocgovlocpnpggbain21575

May Day '16 (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• swanq said:

  The nightdress as banner probably means that these are among the garment-workers who participated in the 1916 May Day Parade in New York City. See neighboring pictures.

• Art Siegel said:

  I agree. Puritan Underwear Company was among the largest manufacturers of nightgowns and underwear, called "white goods" in the trade. The women are members of Local 62 of the White Goods Workers Union, an affiliate of the ILGWU chartered in 1909, one of many Jewish immigrant garment worker unions in New York. Two of the women wear ribbons identifying them as Shop Chairladies. An account of the history of Local 62, written in 1940 (by then the Local's name was the Undergarment and Negligee Workers Union) is online at babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3987891;view=1up;seq=9

• Pete (LOC P&P) said:

  Thanks for the background information. We may update the record.

• The Library of Congress said:

  Art Siegel Artolog, Thanks for flagging this image as one of your top favorites in the LOC photostream. You wrote, "The identification of this as a group shot of leaders of White Goods Workers Union Local 62 was particularly gratifying, as well as learning about the history of this and the other Jewish immigrant garment worker unions. This photo is May Day, 1916. The Triangle Shirtwaist fire is a recent living memory to these women.. They look happy to be marching, but they are resolute as well. The union was not entirely Jewish, especially as the years progressed, but the executive minutes were kept in Yiddish until the early30's." We appreciate your many, many regular contributions to identifying the photographs in the Bain News Service collection and enriching their stories. Your selection now appears in the new set, [http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/sets/72157640980107725/] Happy Valentine's Day! -- Helena, on behalf of LOC