New York City is filled with such a rich, eclectic history. I recently paid a visit to NYU’s Brown Building. The Brown Building, formerly known as the Asch Building, was the tragic site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911.
On March 25th, 1911, the fire at Triangle Shirtwaist Factory took the lives of 146 garment workers (123 women and 23 men). Many of the garment workers were Jews from Eastern Europe and Italian immigrants; the victims’ ages ranged from 16 to 46.
I decided to dig a little deeper and explore this tragedy as it provided the framework for many of the labor and industry laws in the United States.
I leaned into the historian in me and came across a highly recommended documentary. I found myself pulling apart and analyzing the information presented in the documentary. Below is my summary and critique of that documentary.
Working Towards Unionization
Two years prior, to the fire, the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) rallied for unionization for all garment workers, commonly referred to as The Uprising of the 20,000. The young women of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fought alongside the ILGWU, demanding safer working conditions, increased wages, and equitable work hours. The women of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory were not successful in their plight for unionization.
I think this is what makes the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire tragic. The workers highlighted and fought for change, one being better working conditions. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire could have been contained if proper protocols and procedures were in place.
The NYC Fire Marshal, investigated the cause of the fire, and concluded that a lit match or cigarette was to blame. The factory’s floors were filled with flammable material, including scraps of fabric and wooden baskets. It was reported that the manager attempted to use the fire hose to extinguish the fire but was unsuccessful, as the hose was rotted and the water valve was rusted shut.
A Glimpse Into The Past
The documentary made mention of America’s “open border ” policy in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. This policy welcomed millions of European immigrants seeking economic, religious, racial, and political opportunities. All believed they could achieve the egalitarian dreams of success and financial wealth through hard work, determination, and initiative.
Throughout the documentary, viewers are encouraged to connect to the young women’s plight through various photos and narrative guides; however, the documentary failed to reference the various social uprisings in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The social uprisings in Europe may have influenced the boisterous quest for unionization by the European immigrants working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.
In the documentary, historian Steve Fraser summed up the experience of the European immigrants. He stated,
“they are in America, and they’re surrounded by the vocabulary of equality and fairness. And that whole language of Democracy and they begin to expect something like that for themselves, a real opportunity where they see none, [and] a real voice where they had none.”
America wasn’t the only country striving for equality and fairness; throughout Europe, there were countless nationalist movements and social uprising amongst those living in poverty and servitude.
Fighting the Good Fight
Within Europe, Marxist ideals and theories gained popularity in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Europeans were expanding the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Both men and women sought fairness and equality.
The Marxist theory focused on the disparities within the capitalist system. This system relied heavily on the workers (the proletariat) to create a surplus of wealth and value for exploiting the working class. Marx himself suggested the working class overthrow the system by revolutionary means and establish a socialist society (Higley & Pakulski, 2000).
Additionally, women’s suffrage groups gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The women of Ireland were strongly influenced by the gains made by women within the United Kingdom; they too began asserting their political rights, organizing to address constitutional changes that would allow for women’s involvement in political affairs (Pašeta, 2013. p.17).
Throughout Europe, men and women spoke and acted in revolutionary ways. Many European immigrants who’d convened into America’s open arms naturally found themselves having the same discourse on fairness and equality when they recognized the capitalistic system in America mirrored that of Europe.
The factory owners played the role of the bourgeoisie, and the immigrants themselves played the role of the proletariat working class. The documentary robbed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory victims of any earlier commitments to fairness and equality they brought from Europe; it may very well be these same motives that led many to rally for fairness and equality in America.
The Fire’s Aftermath
New Yorkers mourned the lost garment workers; many seek to do right by the victims. Social worker Francis Perkins formed a committee on Public Safety, which helped to identify specific concerns and lobbied for new legislation in New York City (Kaufman, 2010). Subsequently, New York City passed the Factory Investigating Commission (FIC), which investigated the conditions of factories.
Between 1911 and 1914, FIC made 63 recommendations to prevent hazard or loss of life among employees through fire, unsanitary conditions, and occupational diseases, 56 of which became laws (Greenwald, 2005).
The Fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City’s Greenwich Village Forever Changed Workplace Safety Laws in the U.S.
Final Thought
Overall, I enjoyed every second of this documentary. As viewers, we were given a glimpse into NYC’s history at the turn of the 20th century. It’s always fascinating to see the city I’ve grown up in at different points throughout history.
The thing I loved most about this documentary is the feeling I walked away with. I felt like I knew these women and men as I was given a glimpse into their reality. Their stories came alive through piecing together historical facts, pictures, and storytelling. I highly recommend this documentary.