2014.036.023 Oral History Interview with Winifred Chin January 8, 2004
In this interview, Winifred Chin discusses the garment industry in New York Chinatown before and after 9/11. Chin talks about Chinatown and how it has developed over the years. Chin’s mother worked in the garment industry in the 1950s. Back then, the garment industry was flourishing. However, Chin talks about how the garment industry has declined due to clothes being manufactured overseas.

0:14 - Garment industry in Chinatown, 9/11, garment industry decline, 1980s, 1993, tenth anniversary, 2005 imports, mother being in a union, America, big gap in industry, Calvin Klein, no brand names in 1950s, sweatshops, making clothes outside of country, cheaper, traffic closing, garments being delivered, going out of business

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4:37 - Mother retiring, mother’s job, unions, benefits from unions, union dues, health benefits, health coverage, membership, bank, Medicaid, New York City, America, female immigrant from China, overseas, more difficult to come to America, garment industry growing in the 1950s, developed Chinatown, grocery stores, making money each quarter

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10:47 - Looking back on parents’ life, mother and father, immigration, father working in laundromat, women working in Chinatown, children from women, society in Chinatown, dragon bracelets, Chinatown fascination, Chinatown during Winifred’s childhood, vibrant childhood, wedding, food chain, Chinatown always changing, Queens, SoHo, artists, trendy, gentrification of Chinatown

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18:05 - Closing statements, Chinese garment workers, mother knowing interesting people, educated Chinese immigrants, research, interviewing garment workers, cultural revolution, garment workers are usually educated, mother sharing her experience as a garment worker, union people, movement in Chinatown, record

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