5
10
42
-
https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/e746bfcdc17d6b8c175dcdbb7efa8087.jpg
bf8bc4d5857914e607e42e5556bd0aaf
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries
Philadelphia Immigration Project
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview
Charles Hardy
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Brosilow
Interview Keyword
World War I
Great Depression
World War II
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America
Recreation
Baseball
Jewish children
Antisemitism.
Ethnic relations.
Neighborhoods.
Discrimination.
OHMS Object Text
5.1 2017oh237_irw005 Interview with Sam Brasilow, October 21, 1981 2017oh237_irw005 ohirw I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Collection irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Employment Labor disputes Labor movement Labor unions Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Childhood Child labor. World War, 1914-1918 Depressions--1929 World War, 1939-1945 Emigration and immigration. Families. Immigrants World War I Great Depression World War II Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America Recreation Baseball Jewish children Antisemitism. Ethnic relations. Neighborhoods. Discrimination. Sam Brasilow Charles Hardy 2017oh237_irw005_basilow_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh237_irw005_basilow_acc001.mp3 Other audio 4 Factory preference and strikes --was in the summertime when there was no school. Brasilow discusses the differences among various mills and factories. He states that the only important distinction is whether the mill or factory was union or non-union. He also shares that non-union workers were called " ; scabs" ; and that the violence during a strike was generally between union men and scabs. Brasilow also dislikes teachers, who looked down on textile workers and called them ungrateful. " ; Scabs" ; ; Careers ; Closed shops ; Communism ; Communists ; Jobs ; Labor strikes ; Occupations ; Strikebreakers ; Teachers ; Teachers strikes ; Textile mills ; Transit workers ; Work Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 342 Working conditions and working hours Now what else do you want to ask me? Brasilow says that before the 1930s, the garment industry paid $3.50 an hour for a 45 hour work week. This decreased to 35 hours for cutters until Sidney Hillman increased hours to 40 hours during World War II. The hours remained at 40 a week thereafter, with overtime. Careers ; Garment industry ; Jobs ; Occupations ; Sydney Hillman ; Work ; World War II Employment ; World War, 1939-1945 17 469 Conflict with boss, I.M. Cohen One day, the shop cha--we all got fed up with him. Brasilow and his co-workers approached the boss of the factory, Mr. I.M. Cohen, to air their grievances. He forcibly invited Brasilow to participate in a meeting, where Cohen stated he was " ; not a communist before 6 and not a communist after 6" ; and that if people didn't like the job they should quit. Brasilow threatened to strike and later quit. Communism ; Communists ; Cutters unions ; I. M. Cohen ; I.M. Cohen Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 926 Employment at After Six and marriage That's it! Brasilow begins working at After Six, a clothing manufacturer that is still in business today. He met his future wife through a friend and married her at the age of 34. The boss of After Six allowed him to take off of work, but then fired Brasilow upon his return. Brasilow wrote a letter to the executive board about his continued unemployment and was able to return to work. He also labels the Stetson Hat Company as an exception to the trouble that existed between the employer and the workers. 13th and Hamilton St (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; After Six ; Cutters Local ; Cutters unions ; John B. Stetson, Jr. ; Local executive boards ; Stetson Hat Company Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; Marriage 39.960901, -75.159612 17 13th and Hamilton, the location of the clothing retailer After Six. The company still exists today, though this location is now apartment buildings. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/556e60333fb3b062c8b27125e67f4da5.jpg " ; After Six Men's Fashions 1958 Ad," ; c. 1958. After Six Clothing Wear collection, courtesy of magazine-advertisements.com. 1255 Childhood and neighborhood Can you describe the, the neighborhood, Lehigh and 22nd? Brasilow's family originally lived on 11th and Cherry Street, which is now in Chinatown. He later moved to 22nd and Lehigh Avenue, which is in North Philadelphia. 22nd and Lehigh Avenue was a new neighborhood and was full of Jews, Italians and Irish. Growing up as a young Jewish boy, Brasilow experienced anti-Semitism. 11th and Cherry Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 22nd and Lehigh Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Anti-Semitism ; Irish ; Italian ; Jewish Antisemitism. ; Childhood ; Discrimination. ; Ethnic relations. ; Jewish children ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 39.995831, -75.167516 17 Former site of the Brasilow family's home on 22nd and Lehigh Avenue. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/3b98fa10560f05a6840d078c258790ba.png " ; Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School,” December 28, 1936. DOR Archives, Phillyhistory.org 1691 Baseball in the old neighborhood What did you, um--you mentioned you went up to Shibe Park when you were a kid. Brasilow's father delivered suits to the club at Shibe Park, otherwise known as Connie Mack Stadium. Connie Mack, the longest serving manager in Major League Baseball history, was alive at the time and managed the Philadelphia Athletics. Brasilow would see at least two games a week and would play " ; peg baseball" ; with his friends. He also discusses the creation of the Industrial Leagues and how it increased morale at work. 29th Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 33rd Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; American League ; Brewerytown (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Connie Mack ; Germantown (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Industrial League ; Jefferson Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Manayunk (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Montgomery Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Oxford Team ; Philadelphia Athletics ; Shibe Park (Philadelphia, Pa.) Baseball ; Childhood ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Recreation 39.996119, -75.164737 17 Former location of Shibe Park, more commonly known as Connie Mack Stadium. Brasilow would watch the Philadelphia Athletics play there. It is now the Deliverance Evangelistic Church. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/566294182b03a736e9d9397622af2beb.png " ; First Ball Game Here on March 31," ; Philadelphia Tribune, January 31, 1911. Used by permission of the Philadelphia Tribune Company, Inc. All rights reserved. The Philadelphia Tribune, with 130 years of continuous publication, is the oldest newspaper in the United States serving the African-American community. 2047 First labor strike and education Do--why did your, um, why did your father move up to that location? Brasilow witnessed the Philadelphia General Strike of 1910, which the Pennsylvania State Police eventually violently broke up. The Jewish community of Philadelphia referred to the state police as the " ; Cossacks of Pennsylvania." ; Upon graduating grammar school at the age of 14, Brasilow went to work, a common practice among immigrant families. His mother wanted him to continue attending school, but did not want to fight with his father. 11th and Cherry Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Broad St. and York St. (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Hebrew School ; Pennsylvania State Police ; Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company (PRT) ; Schuylkill River ; World War I Child labor. ; Childhood ; Education ; Employment ; Families. ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; Police corruption. ; Police. ; Violence 39.955210, -75.157543 17 11th and Cherry Street, the former location of the Brasilow family's first home. http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/general-strike-of-1910/ Julianne Kornacki, “General Strike of 1910,” The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, 2015. 2456 Beginning work in a garment factory Well anyway, I went to work. Brasilow began work at his first garment factory at the age of 14. There was no clothing workers union at this time in Philadelphia. He worked as a sweeper, errand boy, and bookkeeper while trying to become a cutter. The tailors were excluded from the existing Cutters Union. American Federation of Labor ; Cutters ; Cutters unions ; Skilled workers ; Sweepers ; Tailors ; Unskilled workers ; Woodrow Wilson Child labor. ; Childhood ; Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 2687 Philadelphia labor from before World War I to before the Great Depression They only had one solid organization, which was the AF of L, and it was naturally divided into various unions. Prior to World War I and the Great Depression, Philadelphia was considered an " ; open town." ; Unions had a very difficult time recruiting workers and bosses to form an organization. He mentions how the International Ladies Garment Workers of America assisted in the creation of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. 13th and Hamilton St (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; After Six ; Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America ; American Federation of Labor ; Chicago (Ill.) ; Chicago, Illinois ; Cutters unions ; Great Depression ; International Ladies Garment Workers of America (ILGWA) ; Woodrow Wilson ; World War I Depressions--1929 ; Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; World War, 1914-1918 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/75fdca8337443131beee2ac377ca910d.jpg " ; Knowledge is Power," ; c. 1935. ILGWU Education Department, Tobias Higbe. 3033 Philadelphia labor from the Great Depression onwards Well anyway. Between the wars we had severe depression. We had severe expansion. After World War I, work was plentiful and the organization of unions was unpopular. Work slowed down during the Great Depression and unions gained traction. The New Deal policies of FDR greatly assisted the labor movement in Philadelphia. The only National Union at this time was John L. Lewis' United Mine Workers of America. 13th and Hamilton St (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; After Six ; Franklin D. Roosevelt ; John L. Lewis ; Savings and Loans Group ; United Garment Workers (UGW) ; United Mine Workers (UMW) ; United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Depressions--1929 ; Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/5797014e3fb3d25587e9d3d5460a6ed0.jpg " ; John L. Lewis," ; c. 1938/1939. Harris & ; Ewing photograph collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. 3422 Union practices and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America What sort of resistance did you meet from the, uh, manufacturers? The Garment Workers Union created a mandatory Savings and Loan group. There was be conflict concerning the money that had already been contributed and the Amalgamated would pay the exact amount to any worker who left and joined them. The cutters would set up death benefits, sick benefits, and unemployment compensation, which would later be taken over by the government. Sydney Hillman, a Jewish labor activist and president of the Amalgamated was appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt to the labor commission of the War Production Board. The Amalgamated became a founding member of the CIO. Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America ; Congress of Industrial Workers (CIO) ; Franklin D. Roosevelt ; Great Depression ; Leather industry ; Needle industry ; Sidney Hillman ; Unemployment ; World War II Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; World War, 1939-1945 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/37d22765d182b58588665501fd7a37dc.jpg " ; Local Amalgamated workers march," ; date unknown. Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, Pennsylvania Joint Board Pottsville/Minersville local union photographs and audio discs, 1926-1978, Penn State Special Collections. 3667 The Great Depression hits the needle industry There was, uh--the Amal--so the--there was no real strong resistance to the formation of the Amalgamated. The needle and leather industries were hit hard by the Depression. During the Depression, people who could not afford clothing would not buy it, so sales greatly decreased. 12th and Market St. (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Great Depression ; Leather industry ; Leatherworks ; Needle industry Depressions--1929 ; Employment 17 3815 N. Snellenburg & ; Company's anti-unionism and the organization of the tailors There's your answer! The large clothing manufacturer N. Snellenburg & ; Company had a reputation for fighting unions. When the tailors organized within the Amalgamated, they finally had the numbers to push back against manufacturers like N. Snellenburg & ; Company. 12th and Market St. (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America ; N. Snellenburg & ; Company ; Tailors Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 39.952120, -75.159930 17 The site of the former N. Snellenburg & ; Company clothing manufacturer. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/007291b586a4355fc174bd2e5d1c50ae.jpg " ; N. Snellenburg & ; Company," ; c. 1922. Historical Images of Philadelphia Collection, Frank Taylor Photographs, Free Library of Philadelphia. 3907 Working conditions prior to the 1930s / The Spector Brothers Can you describe for me the work conditions in the, uh, in the shops prior to 1930, in the teens and the twenties-- Working in the textile industry, it was brutally cold in the winter and hot in the summer. It typically became unbearably hot during the summer due to the steam from the pressing machines. The lint and steam gave some workers " ; Brown Lung Disease," ; also known as Byssinosis. 4th and Market Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; American Woolen Company ; Brown lung disease ; Byssinosis ; Clothing presses ; Franklin D. Roosevelt ; New Deal ; Spector Brothers Employment ; Health 17 http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/byssinosis/learn-about-byssinosis.html " ; Learn About Byssinosis" ; American Lung Association. 4164 Expansion of labor under Franklin D. Roosevelt and the formation of the Congress of Industrial Workers You see, it's things like this that change the picture in a great many situations. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's policies helped to create the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). They also propped up the failing automobile workers' union, according to Brasilow. He also briefly discusses the CIA breaking up the coal miners' union. Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America ; American Federation of Labor (AFL) ; Automobile workers ; Automobiles ; Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ; Coal ; Coal miners ; Congress of Industrial Workers (CIO) ; Franklin D. Roosevelt ; National Labor Union (NLU) ; Unions ; United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 17 4309 Working conditions and child labor Was there a, a great deal of, um--amongst the cutters and tailors themselves in the teens and twenties, was there great dissatisfaction with their employment conditions? Brasilow mentions Brown Lung once more and how the lint from the cloth caused it. He worked at Wilson Home at this time as a spindle boy who switched over cones of threads to smaller cones. During extreme weather, he was not allowed to open a window because the air flow would disturb the string. He also briefly discusses how children worked within the mills. Brown lung disease ; Byssinosis ; Cotton mills ; Men's clothing industry ; Spindle boys ; Textile mills ; Wilson Home ; Woolen mills Child labor. ; Childhood ; Employment 17 4566 Seasonal layoffs in the garment industry and the credit union If these seasonal layoffs came all the time, did, did the men wor--did the men or women working in the shops, did they plan then-- Brasilow was the secretary treasurer of the credit union at one factory and handled loan applications. The workers were not very good at saving money for the recurring seasonal layoffs. According to Brasilow, they held onto hope that they would not be laid off. Some workers would attempt to take out loans for gambling, which Brasilow did not take part in himself. Credit unions ; Gambling ; Loans ; Savings and Loans ; Seasonal layoffs ; South Philadelphia Employment ; Labor unions 17 4859 The process of bundling and cutting They started a system there where you were working on--like piecework. You were working on standards. Brasilow discusses how garment workers labored under a system of standards that worked on time schedules. The workload steadily increased as the schedules remained the same, angering men like Brasilow. He also discusses the process of cutting briefly. Bundling ; Clothing industry ; Cutters ; Garment industry ; Goldsmith's Employment 17 5247 Management and labor in Philadelphia Now, people think that the economy will be much better when workers and managers cooperate more. According to Brasilow, when a laborer worked at a small company, there was more room for airing grievances. If a laborer worked at a big company it was significantly harder to have their grievances heard. He labels Philadelphia a " ; scab town," ; which means there were a lot of non-union workers. Brasilow also acknowledges the difficulty that unions experienced in Philadelphia. Automobile workers ; Coal miners ; John L. Lewis ; Minimum wage ; Russia ; Sidney Hillman Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/be33f31d41a2cabc616fddf07bff8bd9.JPG " ; Multilingual poster from the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA) general strike, 1919.," ; c. 1919. Urban Archives, Temple University and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, courtesy of Work Sights: Industrial Philadelphia 1890-1950 5593 Brasilow's son / Brasilow's childhood and his first job in a textile mill How many kids do you have? Brasilow's only son is, at this time, head of the chemical engineering program at Case Western Reserve University in Cincinnati. Brasilow discusses his own childhood and how he arrived in America at the age of 3 from Russia. While working at his first job, he made between $5.00 and $7.00 a week. Bobbin boys ; Case Western Reserve University ; Chemical engineering ; Cleveland (Ohio) ; Cleveland, Ohio ; Engineers ; Jewish ; Judaism ; Russia ; Textile mills ; Textile workers ; Ukraine Child labor. ; Childhood ; Employment ; Families. 41.504340, -81.608140 17 Case Western University, where Sam Brasilow's son worked at the time of the interview. 6015 Parents' background And my father was in business, so he made a fair living. Brasilow's father was the son of a Jewish widow who lived in what is now Ukraine. He did not want Brasilow to attend high school. He was illiterate himself, explains Brasilow, because his mother was a widow and apprenticed him to a tailor, which he describes as being a slave. He immigrated to New York City in 1899 from Russian-controlled Ukraine. He had escaped from Russia to avoid the draft. Brasilow recalls learning some of his family background from a cousin, but not from his father himself. Brasilow's mother was well-educated. She was the daughter of a Shamas, which is compared to a sexton in a church, and received a Yiddish education and could read Hebrew. His father did not see the purpose of higher education, while his mother did. Cherkasy (Ukraine) ; Cherkasy, Ukraine ; Cossacks ; Fathers ; Jewish ; Marriage ; New York City (N.Y.) ; New York City, New York ; Shamas ; Textile mills ; Textile workers ; Ukraine ; Yiddish Education ; Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Religion 49.420896, 32.053691 10 Cherkasy, Ukraine was formerly a part of the Russian Empire. His father was married here and possibly from Cherkasy. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/52b92dbe8bb0d446839da0200edcbc64.JPG " ; Jewish Pale of Settlement ," ; c. 1998. The Jewish Community of South Philadelphia, Gus Spector 6453 Difficulty of labor to organize in early 1900s What was--when you, um--uh, when I was listening through the tape, you know, you mentioned that you worked at Epstein's and, uh-- Brasilow returns to his time at the Spector Brothers and how he disliked one of the guys who ran the shop. He also discusses how in the early 1900s, workers could not complain and were forced to leave if they didn't like the job. A lot of these workers were immigrants, and many Jews and Italians worked in the garment industry. After Six ; Epstein's ; Garment industry ; Italian ; Jewish ; Judaism ; Needle industry ; Organized labor ; Spector Brothers Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/e53166d2440d70c5401cd36428f389b4.png " ; A Plain Warning to Mischief-makers" ; Philadelphia Inquirer, August 3, 1922. 6737 Opportunities for advancement within the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America Did you know that, that the, uh, people like Morris Rosenfeld who, uh--that were tailors and poets also, also? The labor activist Sydney Hillman was a former revolutionary in Russia and left the country because he was Jewish and could not attend a university. He later created and led the Amalgamated. Brasilow also details the founding of the American Federation of Labor and the United Garment Workers. Brasilow also purposefully turned down advancement in the union because he would have to give his life over to the union. Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America ; American Federation of Labor ; Jewish ; Labor organizing ; Morris Rosenfeld ; Poets ; Russian Revolution ; Spector Brothers ; Sydney Hillman ; Tailoring shops ; Tailors ; United Garment Workers ; Yiddish Employment ; Immigrants ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/4bdb8d4ec2ae00b3499396d5ab36a3be.jpg " ; Sidney Hillman, member of President's Advisory Defense Commission," ; c. 1955. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Online Catalog. 7135 The divide between cutters and tailors within the garment industry / Credit unions Meanwhile, why don't you look at me for a second so I can-- Brasilow details the difference in responsibilities between cutters and tailors. Cutters considered themselves skilled workers who often looked down on the unskilled tailors. He also discusses more of his experience with corporations and credit unions. Clothing industry ; Corporations ; Credit unions ; Cutters ; Cutters unions ; Cutting ; Julius H. Cohen ; Savings and Loan Association ; Skilled workers ; Tailors ; Unskilled workers Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/81e20ea46b1b06ea34bcb7a2ccfc0c39.jpg " ; Garment worker at Hightstown factory, New Jersey," ; c. 1936. Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection, Library of Congress. 7432 Jewish immigration and presence in Philadelphia Were, were your cousins in Philadelphia too? During Brasilow's lifetime, his house was often the first destination for family members, from both his mother's and father's side, immigrating to the United States. The children of immigrants moved all over the country, he notes. Brasilow also discusses that there were two major waves of Jewish immigration to Philadelphia. He also states the prevalence of Jewish bosses in factories. 2nd generation immigrants ; Chain migration ; Jewish ; Jewish immigration ; Judaism ; Padrones ; Second generation immigrants Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 17 7669 Mechanization and changes within the needle industry Did the needle trades go through any major-- The mechanization of the needle industry occurred over time. Brasilow believed human cutters were more effective than machines. Earlier in the 1900s, companies used cutting machines, which caused more problems than they were worth. According to Brasilow, the Amalgamated started in part because the garment industry no longer would hire men, as it had begun to mechanize. In order to circumvent the machinery, many factories and mills hired more cheap unskilled labor, typically women. The industry has since advanced. Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America ; Cutters ; Cutting tables ; Electric cutting machines ; Female workers ; Garment industry ; Goldsmith's ; Knife cutters ; Laser cutting machines ; Mechanization ; Needle industry ; Shear cutters Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; Technological innovations 17 8160 Work during the seasonal layoffs of the garment industry Was, was your, um--during--traditionally, was the, the garment industry a seasonal industry? During the seasonal layoffs that always occurred in the spring and fall, Brasilow tried to find work doing many odd jobs. He attempted to sell cars, books, and clothing as a door to door salesman. Book salesman ; Book salesmen ; Car salesman ; Car salesmen ; Cutters ; Door to door salesman ; Door to door salesmen Employment 17 interview Sam Brasilow was born to Jewish immigrant parents who fled Russia around 1900. The Brasilow family lived on 11th and Cherry Street before moving to 22nd and Lehigh Avenue. He began working in the men’s clothing industry at the age of thirteen and remained a cutter. Throughout his career, he supported the unionization of the Philadelphia clothing industry and was an active member of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. Brasilow was a tough individual who stood up to anyone, regardless of their position and worked for many different companies, including After Six, The Spector Brothers, and N. Snellenberg & ; Company. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh237_irw005_basilow_ohm.xml 2017oh237_irw005_basilow_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96
Indexed By
Michael Weiss
Sort Priority
0006
OHMS Object
https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh237_irw005_ohm.xml
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interview: Sam Brosilow
Description
An account of the resource
Sam Brosilow was born to Jewish immigrant parents who fled Russia around 1900. The Brosilow family lived on 11th and Cherry Street before moving to 22nd and Lehigh Avenue. He began working in the men’s clothing industry at the age of thirteen and remained a cutter. Throughout his career, he supported the unionization of the Philadelphia clothing industry and was an active member of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. Brosilow was a tough individual who stood up to anyone, regardless of their position and worked for many different companies, including After Six, The Spector Brothers, and N. Snellenberg & Company.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2017oh237_irw005
Subject
The topic of the resource
Employment
Labor disputes
Labor movement
Labor unions
Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions.
Childhood
Child labor.
World War, 1914-1918
Depressions--1929
World War, 1939-1945
Emigration and immigration.
Families.
Immigrants
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
audio
Relation
A related resource
<a href="/exhibits/show/samuel-brasilow/garment-industry">Explore an exhibit about Brosilow's life</a>
-
https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/2d9f1355f864f39fd34200b73fe5c1e9.png
95d77633aba15ca5a928abda10a51b72
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries
Philadelphia Immigration Project
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview
Charles Hardy
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
John Flynn (Pseudonym)
Interview Keyword
Families.
Childhood
Gangs
Labor organizers
Longshoremen
Tenderloin District (Philadelphia, Pa)
Brothels
Murder
Gang fights
OHMS Object Text
5.1 2017oh236_irw004 Interview with John Flynn (Pseudonym), June 4, 1982 2017oh236_irw004 ohirw I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Collection irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Employment Labor unions Labor disputes Labor movement Violence Prohibition Distilling, illicit Distillation Police. Crime. Alcoholic beverage law violations Families. Childhood Gangs Labor organizers Longshoremen Tenderloin District (Philadelphia, Pa) Brothels Murder Gang fights John Flynn (Pseudonym) Charles Hardy 2017oh236_irw004_boyle_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh236_irw004_boyle_acc001.mp3 Other audio 1 Early life in South Philadelphia, and an encounter with the Ku Klux Klan in Doylestown Alright, can we start-- Flynn discusses how he grew up in the same home he, his father, and grandmother were all born, near Federal Street in South Philadelphia. He states that after his father married, they moved to a house near 28th and Reed Street where Flynn attended school at Saint Gabriel's. Soon after, his father found himself out of work, so they moved to a farm in Newtown, Pennsylvania where they lived for a year until his father found a job as a bridge painter in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Flynn recounts how his father only worked this job for two weeks until he was fired for asking if there was a Catholic church in the area. Flynn then describes how that same Friday night, members of the Ku Klux Klan lit a cross on fire in the field near their home, and threatened to beat or kill his father. Flynn states that the only reason his father survived the ordeal was because their landlady threatened to kill the first Klansman she saw move. The following day, Flynn's family left Doylestown to live back in South Philadelphia. 2027 Federal Street (Philadelphia, Pa) ; 28th and Reed Street (Philadelphia, Pa) ; Bridge painters ; Doylestown (Pa.) ; Doylestown, Pennsylvania ; Grays Ferry (Philadelphia Neighborhood) ; Kensington (Philadelphia Neighborhood) ; Newtown (Pa.) ; Newtown, Pennsylvania ; Saint Gabriel School ; South Philadelphia ; St. Gabriel School Childhood ; Discrimination. ; Families. ; Ku Klux Klan (1915- ) 39.935159, -75.193537 17 St. Gabriel School, the school which Flynn attended when he lived in South Philadelphia as a child. https://stgabrielphila.independencemissionschools.org/our-school/our-mission/history/ St. Gabriel School, " ; History" ; , St. Gabriel School: An Independence Mission School, 2018 274 Work within a trucking company and skipping school You keep moving--why'd you keep moving? Flynn recounts how he began to work at the age of thirteen when his father found him a job as a truck driver's assistant in the Union Transfer. He describes how he would get paid forty dollars for a month's work, and how this first taste of money led to his dislike of school. Flynn discusses how he skipped school by tricking his principal into thinking he was his own father, but that he was eventually caught and forced to go to school. Flynn then discusses how the National Recovery Administration (NRA) improved his wages and working conditions at the Union Transfer. Careers ; Jobs ; National Recovery Administration (NRA) ; Truancy ; Truck Driver's Assistant--Union Transfer ; Union Transfer Baggage Express ; Union Transfer--Philadelphia ; Work Childhood ; Employment ; Families. 39.961388, -75.155326 17 Union Transfer in Philadelphia, the building where Flynn worked as a truck driver's assistant when he was thirteen years old. https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false& ; doc=66 “National Industrial Recovery Act (1933).” Our Documents - National Industrial Recovery Act (1933), Our Documents. 471 Becoming a labor union organizer at the age of sixteen My father by this time was a superintendent at the union transfer at night time. Flynn discusses the difficult decision he made at age sixteen to join a truckers' labor union as a union organizer. He describes how the job of a union organizer in the past was much different than it is today, stating that he would beat up on people, burn trucks, and slash tires to protect workers from company abuse. He also discusses how employers often treated employees like indentured slaves, threatening to fire them over minor reasons. Careers ; Jobs ; Superintendent--Union Transfer ; Truckers' Labor Union--Teamsters Local 107 ; Union Transfer--Philadelphia ; Unionism ; Violence--Union Organizing ; Work Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Brotherhood_of_Teamsters Wikipedia contributors. " ; International Brotherhood of Teamsters." ; Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 Mar. 2018. Web. 20 Mar. 2018. 592 Resistance against and fear of unionism Was there a lot of, um, resistance amongst people like yourselves, the, the workers, to join the union though? Flynn discusses the resistance many workers demonstrated against unionism out of fear of being fired by the companies they worked for. He also describes the danger associated with his role as an organizer because many workers carried guns and other weapons to ward off organizers like Flynn from speaking to them about unionism. This did not prevent organizers from completing their job ; instead they either disarmed workers or stopped them when they were weaponless to convince them to unionize, through force and violence if needed. Anti-unionism ; Careers ; Jobs ; Organized crime ; Work Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 653 A violent encounter with a superintendent / A search for employment And then when I was eighteen, I got married. Flynn discusses how shortly after he got married, he put a superintendent into the hospital for two weeks and the Teamsters fired him from his job as an organizer. He describes the jobs he subsequently took on including longshoreman, distributing circulars, shoveling coal, and washing dishes for Whitman's Candy Company on 1600 Chestnut Street. He describes how he washed dishes six days a week for twelve dollars and earned another 2 dollars washing dishes on Sunday at another restaurant on Old York Road. He states that the restaurants he worked for took money out of all the employees' pay for broken dishes. When the Social Security Act took effect in 1937, he had approximately six cents less in his take-home pay. Flynn also discusses how the good old days were not as good as most people state ; it was good because one could sleep in a hallway without being robbed, but not good economically. 1600 Chestnut Street (Philadelphia, Pa) ; Careers ; Dishwashers ; Jobs ; Social Security Act ; Superintendent--Trucking Company ; Whitman's Candy Company ; Work Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; Violence 39.951089, -75.168448 17 Location of the Whitman's Candy Restaurant where Flynn likely washed dishes. The building is now currently a men's clothing warehouse. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/8e7f1f68bb978df92a3566f3bd3dc9d2.jpg " ; Whitman's Retail Store," ; c.1894. Whitman's Company 875 Working in circular advertisement distribution, and organizing a circular union And that was it, I had it. And I said, " ; To hell with it, we're going back to Philadelphia." ; Flynn recounts his experiences working for two dollars a day as a circular distributor for department stores. He describes that he often waited from 5:00 am to 8:00 am to get hired. Once hired, he and the other men went via horse and wagon to the Public Ledger Building where they loaded a wagon with circulars for distributing. Flynn describes then taking this wagon up to Manayunk and Mount Airy, where he and five others distributed 2,500 circulars each while company spies watched to make sure no one was dumping the circulars in the sewer. He then talks about how he helped organize a circulars union which helped raise the workers' pay to $2.50 a day and helped reduce the workers' waiting time. Careers ; Circulars--Distribution ; Company spies ; Jobs ; Manayunk (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Mount Airy (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Public Ledger Building--Philadelphia ; Work Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 39.948885, -75.151538 17 101 S 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The Public Ledger Building at which Flynn would obtain circulars for distribution. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Ledger_(Philadelphia) Wikipedia contributors. " ; Public Ledger (Philadelphia)." ; Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 19 Feb. 2018. Web. 20 Mar. 2018. 1045 Work on the dock as a longshoreman Then I used to carry bananas. Flynn discusses his experiences working as a longshoreman on the docks of Philadelphia. He explains how he worked two days a week, usually Tuesday and Thursday, getting paid 40 cents an hour unloading bananas from ships. He describes how longshoremen had to pay a gang boss in order to get their " ; Brass Check" ; in order to get paid for work. Flynn recalls the heavy lifting he endured, often having to carry 80-130 pound stalks of bananas to a horse and wagon on Delaware Avenue, with no lunch break. He also explains how the concessionaire was the place longshoremen went to get their lunch and pay, and if you were still able to work after carrying bananas you could earn 60 cents an hour carrying coffee bags. Flynn recounts how he bought his wife five tootsie rolls every day after work. He states that in the past he was 25 pounds heavier and earned money by lifting 500 pound objects ; he also carried 200 pound kegs of copper nails during World War II and 300 pound bags of sugar for the Whitman's Candy Restaurant. Bananas ; Brass checks ; Careers ; Delaware Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Gang bosses ; International Longshoremen's Association ; Jobs ; Longshoreman ; Whitman's Candy Restaurant ; Work Employment 39.967735, -75.127815 17 1341 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia (Pa.) 19125. This is the location of International Longshoremen's a labor union on Delaware Avenue, the street on which Flynn would load wagons with bananas. https://books.google.com/books?id=N3yRfamyZFcC& ; pg=PA181& ; lpg=PA181& ; dq=brass+check+longshoreman& ; source=bl& ; ots=gfd9KVPq5N& ; sig=N4KkLGVvjGAr3k_mhN36NhiJck4& ; hl=en& ; sa=X& ; ved=0ahUKEwiYtoWR8_nZAhVCXKwKHaGHCZwQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage& ; q=brass%20check%20longshoreman& ; f=false “The Racket-Ridden Longshoremen.” The End of Ideology: On the Exhaustion of Political Ideals in the Fifties: with " ; the Resumption of History in the New Century" ; , by Daniel Bell, Harvard University Press, 2001, pp. 181–181. 1374 Trucking industry's opposition to unionism / Violent tactics used in organizing Let me ask another question then, before we get ahead on, um--you said you were instrumental, or you were an organizer with 107. Flynn discusses the tactics trucking companies would use to prevent his organizing. He recounts how his father hired J.J Murphy from Baltimore, the Sweeney brothers Jimmy and Eddie who were Murphy's helpers, and a mechanic for the Union Transfer who were all fired for becoming active with the union. He states that after the union was recognized, they all got their jobs back except for J.J Murphy who became a business agent for the union. Flynn also describes how in organizing he would beat guys up, set trucks and companies on fire, and slash tires. He explains that he will not name any names because he does not want his great-grandchildren to know what he did. Careers ; Eddie Sweeney--Union Transfer ; J.J Murphy--Teamster 107 Business Agent ; Jimmy Sweeney--Union Transfer ; Jobs ; Organized violence--Unionism ; Teamsters Local 107 ; Work Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; Violence 17 http://www.teamsters107.com/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm& ; HomeID=342795& ; page=About20Us “History Notes.” Teamsters Local 107 | Our History, Teamsters Local 107, 17 Sept. 2013 1534 Bootleg alcohol and jail time Were you ever afraid? Flynn explains how at age 16-17 he was able to organize without fear because he was always " ; half juiced," ; having started drinking at 13. Since the day of the interview he has been sober four years. He recalls that because his parents let him keep his money, he often drank excessively on the weekends, ending up in the jailhouse every Sunday morning. He explains how he was never afraid of " ; getting pinched" ; and ending up in jail because his committeeman always got him out every Sunday morning. He didn't have to even clean his cell, so it was like having a free place to sleep. Flynn also explains how he associated with a gang near 6th and Spring Garden, part of the Vice District, and went to bootleggers during Prohibition. On Vine Street, the line was sometimes two to three blocks long, at what he called " ; 1-2-3 houses," ; with people waiting to purchase a bottle of white whiskey for a quarter, no matter their age. He also describes the feud his gang had with a Cuban gang for trying to steal their girls, but that they left after his gang destroyed their hangout spot. Flynn then explains how his gang spent time drinking and " ; raising hell" ; in the towers of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, but were chased down to under the bridge. Alcoholics Anonymous ; Alcoholism ; Benjamin Franklin Bridge (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Bootleggers ; Committeeman (Philadelphia) ; Gangs ; Juvenile delinquency ; Magistrates ; Moonshine ; Philadelphia--Vice District ; Sixth Street and Spring Garden Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Sobriety ; Tenderloin District (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Underage drinking ; Vine Street and 9th Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) Alcoholic beverage law violations ; Crime. ; Distillation ; Distilling, illicit ; Police. ; Prohibition ; Violence 39.961464, -75.148183 17 Spring Garden St. and N. 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19123. This was the part of the Philadelphia Vice District where Flynn and his gang would spend time. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/2917312a471dad0a019c7e83eadfcf60.jpg Mallis, 21st and Callowhill Street, September 15, 1958. Used by permission of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 1860 Gang fights, the murder of three black men, and fights between Pollock Town and Greys Ferry In this particular Saturday night--well, they used to--at that time, there was a lot of--there still is I guess today, a lot hatreds between black and whites. Flynn recounts the racial animosity between blacks and whites, recalling how his gang often pounced from under the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to attack African Americans. One Saturday when Flynn stayed home, his gang killed three African Americans during a gang fight, which lead to a major investigation in which three or four of his associates were imprisoned. This ultimately took the fire out of his gang. Flynn also discusses how gangs of the past did not use guns or knives, but used fists or brass knuckles or else they would be considered cowards. He tells a story of how he and his schoolmate, Michael, participated in gang fights every weekend. Michael ran for Pollock Town, a neighborhood of mostly Polish-Americans with a church at 28th and Snyder. He recalls how hundreds of boys met at a vacant lot in Grays Ferry, a predominantly Irish neighborhood, to have stone fights, with the occasional truce to attack police cars. Flynn explains how the murder of a kid by an ice pick caused the fights to stop. Assumption of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church ; Benjamin Franklin Bridge (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Brass knuckles ; Gang violence ; Gangs ; Grays Ferry (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Irish Americans--Philadelphia ; Polish Americans--Philadelphia ; Pollock Town (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Saint Gabriel's Catholic School ; Sixth Street and Spring Garden Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Youth violence African Americans--Philadelphia ; Crime. ; Race relations ; Violence 39.927398, -75.192583 17 Snyder Avenue and S 28th Street, this is the location Flynn stated the Polish church was located. The Church is Assumption of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church. 2215 Stealing horses and a car There was a--believe it or not, there was a guy down there, they considered him Polish, but his name was Mulligan. Flynn recounts how he and his childhood friends stole and rode the horses of a man named Mulligan, but that they returned them every time. He also discusses his worst experience growing up, when he and his friend Herbert got into a car which Herbert's brother Leopold had stolen. In order to escape the police, Flynn had to jump out of the moving car which the police were shooting at, but Leopold was caught and arrested. Car theft ; Horse theft ; Juvenile delinquency Childhood ; Crime. 17 2326 The Tenderloin, or vice district, of Philadelphia Um, your--(coughs)--your gang centered around 6th and Spring Garden, right? Flynn discusses how he and his gang frequently spent time near Sixth and Spring Garden, which was a part of the Tenderloin or Vice District of Philadelphia. He explains how they spent time in the tap-rooms, which did not care about the age of their customers. He describes the many activities which took place in the Tenderloin such as bootlegging, tattooing, and prostitution. Flynn also discusses homosexuality in the Tenderloin. 806 Vine Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 8th Street and Vine Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Bootlegging ; Brothels ; Homosexuality ; Prostitution ; Red Garter (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Robbery ; Sixth Street and Spring Garden- (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Tenderloin District (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Underage drinking ; Violence against homosexuals Crime. ; Violence 39.961464, -75.148183 17 Spring Garden St. and N. 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19123. This was the part of the Philadelphia Vice District where Flynn and his gang would spend time. http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/tenderloin/ Annie Anderson. “Tenderloin.” Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, 2016. 2605 Homosexuality, homophobia, and the brothels of past Philadelphia Was there a lot--you know, I always think of, uh, homosexuality and homosexuals as being a, you know, a more recent thing. Flynn discusses how, although he never hated homosexuals like other members of his gang did, he still did not want to be associated with them. He explains how one could easily pick out homosexuals in certain parts of the Tenderloin by the way they would hold hands. Flynn explains how there were many brothels in the Tenderloin District with prostitutes in the windows with their bodies exposed. He explains that many brothels and taprooms were protected by the police and politicians under the guise that keeping them all in one section was better. In actuality, the police were being paid off. He also describes the " ; Shorties" ; located on Darien Street, which were well known places to get " ; screwed" ; or " ; boozed." ; Brothels ; Calowhill Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Darien Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Homosexuality ; Police corruption ; Prostitution ; Shorties--Tenderloin ; Tenderloin District (Philadelphia, Pa.) Crime. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/dd2c5a4ce151cccd13c23da5bb5a670f.jpg George D. McDowell, Philadelphia Police Stand Near an Alcohol Distiller, C. 1920. Courtesy of Temple University Libraries. 2790 On drug usage and prostitution Just marijuana or something like that once in a while. I think I told you that one time when I was drunk, a guy gave me some marijuana cigarettes. Flynn tells a story of when he purchased marijuana cigarettes from a stranger while drunk, then was subsequently beaten by his father for smoking marijuana. He explains how all drugs, including marijuana but excluding alcohol, were considered dangerous in the past. He also discusses how although prostitutes often used cocaine, young attendants of the Tenderloin like himself did not have access to such drugs. Alcoholism ; Cocaine ; Drug use ; Marijuana ; Prostitution Crime. ; Drug abuse 17 interview Born in the tough Irish-American neighborhood of Grays Ferry, John Flynn learned how to fight at a young age, started to work full time at the age of 14, and soon was part of a gang that hung out in Philadelphia's infamous Tenderloin District on the north side of Center City. During the labor wars of the Great Depression, Flynn was a union organizer for Teamsters Local 107 and worked as a longshoreman, circular distributor, and in other jobs. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh236_irw004_boyle_ohm.xml 2017oh236_irw004_boyle_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96
Indexed By
Enrique Metado Sosa
Sort Priority
0018
OHMS Object
https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh236_irw004_ohm.xml
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interview: John Flynn (Pseudonym)
Description
An account of the resource
Born in the tough Irish-American neighborhood of Grays Ferry, John Flynn learned how to fight at a young age, started to work full time at the age of 14, and soon was part of a gang that hung out in Philadelphia's infamous Tenderloin District on the north side of Center City. During the labor wars of the Great Depression, Flynn was a union organizer for Teamsters Local 107 and worked as a longshoreman, circular distributor, and in other jobs.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2017oh236_irw004
Subject
The topic of the resource
Employment
Labor unions
Labor disputes
Labor movement
Violence
Prohibition
Distilling, illicit
Distillation
Police.
Crime.
Alcoholic beverage law violations
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
audio