Several AAUW members have contributed their hand embroidery to a commemorative banner honoring the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911. Althea Church forwarded the invitation to Kathryn Atkins, Carolyn Webb, Leslie Solook and Berta Winiker and we gathered recently to each embroider the name of one of the 146 young immigrant workers who had perished. Yetta Goldstein (20), Mary Goldstein (18), Esther Hochfield (21), and Beckie Kessler (19) were all young Jewish women from Russia. Maria Giuseppa Tortorelli Lauletta, 33, was from Italy.

 

Further information could be located on Cornell University’s webpage of the 1911 fire. Viewing the site is a sobering experience since one page boldly lists three columns of the deceased. Clicking on Yetta Goldstein (the woman I honored) reveals that she had lived in the United States for four years and she was a Union member. There is a copy of her death certificate. Such a young life, tragically snuffed out so prematurely. Her parents are listed, Morris Goldstein and Esther Blum, as well as her burial in Mt. Zion Cemetery.

 

These young women were organized by 1911 in the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. Poor working conditions were a call to action and in 1909 there had been a walkout at the Triangle Factory of 400 employees. Still they paid a price for industrial negligence, which sadly continues to this day.

 

Criteria for the banner pieces were to work in red and blue threads, which are the ILGWU colors and to include the name and age of the victim. We were encouraged to include traditional motifs for their heritage. I learned that Yetta meant light and found the Hebrew word for that. Kathryn embroidered

 

The banner will be displayed on March 25th at the Official Commemoration of the 114th Anniversary of the Triangle Factory Fire. The event will be live-streamed. If you have any questions, please write to library@tatter.org.

 

Participating in this project was very meaningful for our group. We meet regularly to work on individual projects. This was an opportunity to honor women’s history.