Part 2 - Greenhorn Dreams Lost and Earned: Immigrants at Work
This second episode of New Yorkers at Work focuses in immigrants. Various men and women who came to the United States fleeing oppression, seeking opportunity, or both, describe their lives as workers in America. They talk about how their lives changed upon moving to the United States, where mostly rural immigrants settled predominantly in cities, and the exploitative conditions they worked under, conditions led them to join and create unions.
Martha Greenhouse and Frederick O'Neal provide narration throughout, explaining the historical aspects of immigration in the 20th century and introducing concepts and themes that emerged from the oral histories from which the program was drawn. the dialog is occasionally broken up with the music, including "The Woman's Lament" and other folk songs.
The program begins with an introduction describing the program. It tells us that the people featured were part of history, though they are not included in history books. It notes the fact that they were immigrants and that they banded together to fight for dignity and pride.
This episode focuses on immigration. It begins with several speakers describing their emigration to America.
Oscar Brand sings a song about coming to America.
Martha Greenhouse notes that in the first 30 year of the twentieth century millions came to America.
James Luzty speaks about the situation in Hungary. Mary Condin talks about Ireland. A Mr. Liong came in 1947, having visited a fortune teller first. He was forced to stay due to tuberculosis.
Greenhouse talks about the fact that the majority of people from abroad worked on farms, but when they came to America worked and lived in cities.
Julia Benicci talks about coming to America and working in the clothing trade. Al Berchnoff worked as a clerk. Many could not work on weekends for religious reasons which employers exploited. Condin talks about finding work in the 70s.
Frederick O'Neal talks about how people with skilled labor and writers and artists ended up doing unskilled work. Ben Holtzman talks about it.
Greenhouse talks about the ethnic breakdown of industries in New York. Condin, Holtzman, and Benicci talk about the work place cultures.
O'Neal notes the poor working conditions for immigrant workers, they were dirty and harsh. Holtzman and others recount the horrible conditions.
Brand performs the "The Woman's Lament" after Condin talks about conditions in domestic work.
Sylvia Volanski talks about working in the garment district.
Greenhouse explains that the working conditions for immigrants inspired many to take up the cause of creating unions to protect immigrant workers. James Lestig discusses the European influence on American trade unions. Holtzman and Berchnoff talk about the conditions and the development of unions. Berchnoff talks about his father's influence. Benicci talks about the garment workers lives improving due to unions.
O'Neal talks about changes in immigration policies in the United States, particularly those involving immigration from Latin American countries. Carlos Rivera talks about coming to America in 1949 and the allure it had. Tonio Lane recounts the trip from Barbados.
Greenhouse discusses the change in how immigrants are talked about in the US, but immigrants still tend to find work in the same ways - through family and friends, Juan Poems recounts.
O'Neal talks about "immigrant jobs," and immigrant support for unions. Poems talks about it. Immigrants often put aside their aspirations to maintain a living. Rivera and Poems both talk about the price for dreams in America.
Greenhouse talks about assimilation and beliefs about the American promise. Lestig see it as less free for those who have money. Condin talks about her new outlook on life. Holtzman is glad he came, though he doesn't like where the US is going politically.
Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection
WNYC archives id: 92583
