Chinese Seamstresses:

It Was A Man’s World

San Francisco’s Chinatown holds the distinction of being the oldest Chinatown in the nation and largest enclave outside of China (Yung 2006:7). Its history begins not long after the fateful discovery of gold in the California hills in 1849. During the Gold Rush, young men flocked to America. Anti-Chinese sentiment took hold and continued in the mid-1850s and as yields from gold mines slowly decreased, miners began returning to San Francisco looking for work. Chinese laborers were unfairly blamed for the state of general unemployment.

One of the main industries that supported the hustle and bustle of 19th century Chinatown was the garment industry. Garment factories first emerged in San Francisco Chinatown in the 1860s. By 1880, 80% of shirt makers and more than 90% of undergarment makers in San Francisco were Chinese. Chinatown was unique because the Chinese “seamstresses” who worked in the garment factories were all men. Typical Victorian seamstresses at that time were female, but a lack of Chinese women combined with discriminatory laws and practices that forced the Chinese out of other industries such as gold mining, led to an all-male workforce. The sewing machines found in the basement of 1018 Stockton Street were likely used by these pioneering Chinese garment workers.

Above: Mar So, 1960s.

Right: Clark’s Spool Cotton advertisement, late 19th century, Courtesy: CHSA  Archives Daniel K.E. Ching Collection

華裔女裁縫：這是一個男人的世界

三藩市的唐人街是美國最古老的唐人街，也是中國以外最大的聚居地（Yung 2006:7）。它的歷史起源於1849年在加利福尼亞山區發現黃金之後不久。在淘金熱潮期間，年輕人湧向美國。反華情緒在 1850 年代中期持續存在。隨著金礦產量的緩慢下降，礦工們開始返回三藩市尋找工作。中國勞工被不公平地歸咎為導致普遍失業狀況的原因。

製衣業是其中一個支撐了十九世紀唐人埠的主要工業。在1860年代，由於加州的淘金熱潮，以致城市人口不斷增長，華裔企業家紛紛成立製衣廠以滿足當時的需求。到了1880年，在三藩市超過八成的襯衣和內衣廠家均是華人。唐人埠獨特之處是因爲在早期從事針線業的所謂華裔「女裁縫」都是男性。典型維多利亞時代的女裁縫均是婦女，但歧視法阻止了許多中國婦女移民到這裡，並迫使華裔男性無法在其他行業立足，以至這個行業的勞動力都是全男班。初期華裔的製衣先鋒可能就是使用考古學家在Stockton街1018號地下室發掘出來的衣車。

上面：Mar So，1960年

右邊：十九世紀末期，Clark公司的線軸棉廣告

承蒙：CHSA檔案 Daniel K.E. Ching 收藏品

The Guilds

Chinatown’s early male garment workers realized the value of their skills. They banded together to form labor guilds, a practice that had been popular in China. These guilds were formed to provide job security, protection, decent working conditions, and higher wages. In addition to these goals, the guilds in San Francisco also aimed to protect its members from being taken advantage of, since many of them did not speak English. Some believed that the most important goal of the guilds was, “to protect their members from being wronged by white people”. Garment industry workers were highly skilled and very organized so their guilds grew quite powerful. They helped make the garment industry a huge success and were rewarded with job security and higher wages than most other Chinatown workers.

Mission school boys learning to sew, late 19th century.

Chinese Historical Society of America Archives Daniel K.E. Ching Collection

公會

早期在唐人埠的製衣業工人意識到自己的技能是有價值的，便團結一致並成立了工會，這種做法當時在中國已經相當流行。這些工會提供了工作保障、良好的工作條件和較高的工資。在三藩市，很多工會的會員不懂說英語，便成爲了被剝削的目標。有一些人認為三藩市工會最重要的目標是「保護其成員不會受白人的委屈」。由於製衣業工人的技術高超，並且組織力強，所以他們的工會變得非常壯大。他們有助於這個城市的製衣業取得了極大的成功，他們不但獲得了工作的保障，而且他們的工資相對於在唐人埠從事其他行業的大部分工人而言，也是較高的。

Mission 學校的男生們正在學習縫紉，於19世紀末。

美國華人曆史協會檔案 Daniel K.E. Ching 收藏品

Underpaid And Overworked

By the early 1900s, Chinatown’s male garment workers were getting old. It was difficult to replace them as no young male laborers were being let into the country after the passing of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. However, Chinese merchants were still able to bring over their families. This created a new pool of cheap labor made up of immigrant women who spoke little to no English and had no other opportunities for work besides the garment industry. By the 1920s, Chinatown garment workers were almost all female. Their experience in the industry was very different from male workers. Women were not allowed to join labor guilds so they had no protection or bargaining power. They were paid less than men and were forced to work long hours under harsh conditions. In the meantime the San Francisco garment industry prospered on the backs of these underpaid and overworked female workers.

Left: Manufacturing clothing labels

Courtesy: Warren Mar

低工資和高工作量

到了1900年代初期，很多唐人埠的男製衣工人因年紀老邁而被婦女取代了他們的工作。到了1920年代，在唐人埠的製衣工人幾乎全部都是女性。她們在該行業的經歷與男性工人截然不同。婦女不允許加入工會，因此她們沒有保障，也沒討價還價的權力。她們的工資比男工低，還要被迫長時間在苛刻的情況下工作。與此同時，三藩市製衣業卻在女工的低工資和高工作量的情況下從而獲利。

All She Did Was Sew

By the 1930s, the garment industry directly or indirectly affected more than half of the Chinatown community, making it one of the most important influences on the economy, character, and livelihood of San Francisco Chinatown. Growth continued and by the 1960s Chinatown factories produced about half of San Francisco’s clothing output. Those who lived and grew up there at that time remember a community in which everyone, or everyone’s mother, sewed. Mothers worked long hours at factories, came home to cook and take care of children, and then continued sewing at home late into the night. Babies were brought to the factory while their mothers worked, young children played in and around factories after school, and older kids helped out at the workplace and at home. Sewing machines, factories, and mothers constantly working defined the experience of growing up in San Francisco Chinatown.

Left top: Lena Chou                                                                   

Right: Singer Buttonhole maker, model 71-1, 1911.

Left bottom and all center: Clothing manufacturing labels, 1990-2005.

Courtesy: Warren Mar

她所做的一切就是縫紉…

到了1930年代，製衣業影響了唐人埠一半以上的社區，而成為其中一個對唐人埠的經濟和特色最具影響力的行業。到了1960年代, 在三藩市大約有一半的服裝都是由唐人埠的製衣廠製造的。在那裡長大的人都會記得幾乎每一位母親都是在唐人埠當縫紉工的。母親長時間在製衣廠工作，回家做飯和照顧孩子後，又繼續在家縫紉到深宵。女工携同嬰兒到製衣廠工作，小孩放學後到製衣廠玩耍。製衣業是20世紀中期在三藩市唐人埠成長過程中不可缺少的一部分。

左上：Lena Chou

右邊：Singer牌釦眼機，型號71-1，1911年。

左下和中間：服裝業衣服標籤，1990-2005年。

資料來源：Warren Mar

Fighting Back

Organized labor has essentially been a part of the Chinatown garment industry since its origin, beginning with traditional all-male guilds. Later, attempts were made at unionizing the mostly female Chinatown garment workers. A Chinese branch of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (CLGWU) was established in 1937. In 1938, the CLGWU launched a strike against the National Dollar Store, owned by one of the nation’s wealthiest and powerful
Chinese businessmen. The strike lasted a record 105 days, the longest strike in San Francisco Chinatown garment industry history. Although the CLGWU eventually disbanded, their successful strike against the National Dollar Store helped prove the strength and power workers could wield when they banded together, and helped achieve better wages and conditions overall.

Union flyer: International Women’s Clothing and Sewing Union & Local No. 341
Chinese Branch, 1939.

Source: Labor Archives and Research Center, San Francisco State University

Partial translation for flyer, left: 

We have a new hope for 1939.

Joint Solute from International Women’s Clothing and Sewing Union & No. 341 Chinese Branch.

Drum frequently urges the end of the dying winter, and the new year is coming.

Our Branch has been self-organized for more than a year. During the time, we demanded to increase wages, improve benefits and we went on strike. Fortunately, our workers are united and work together. The material and spiritual support requested by the Union was not restored until we took 105 days of long-term struggle, plus the sympathy and support of workers from the…

Partial translation for the flyer, right.

Dear workers, 

When asked about the time for treatment, we not only failed to get the sympathy and consent from the employer, but the employer also showed his hideous appearance and performed his dirty tricks. In reality, there is nothing to deal with our Branch but only brush and play with us. 

For example, in one hand the employer recognized our Union and negotiated the contract, while in another hand he changed the name of the factory and presenting the new name at the factory entrance. He created various excuses, and avoided negotiating with the Union. The employer also…

反擊

自從製衣業在唐人埠誕生以來，勞工組織便成為其中的一部分，從全男班的工會開始，以致後來慢慢演變到試圖團結唐人埠製衣業的女工，於1937年終於成立了國際婦女製衣工人公會的華人分會(CLGWU)。在1938年, CLGWU發動了一次為期一百零五日的罷工行動，抗議National Dollar Store，這是三藩市唐人埠製衣業歷史上最長久的罷工。雖然這次CLGWU的罷工最終都解散了，但是她們成功對抗了National Dollar Store，令到她們能夠得到較高的工資和較佳的整體工作條件，同時證明了工人團結起來可以發揮強大的力量。

工會傳單：國際婦女服裝車衣工會 341號華人分會，1939年

資料來源：勞工檔案及研究中心，三藩市州立大學

左邊傳單的部分內容：

本工會對1939年新希望

國際婦女服裝車衣工會 341號華人分會

臘鼓頻催殘冬將盡，新春之佳景至矣。

本分會自組織以來一載有餘，回憶我們要求增加工會和改良待遇而至罷工，幸賴我們工友精誠團結一致 奮鬥，經過一百零五天的長期糾察，獲得本總會等之物質和精神上的贊助……

右邊傳單的部分內容：

親愛的工友們：

本分會的工友，因為想東主方面要求加薪，減短工作時間，及改良待遇等問題。不獨是未能得到東主的同情和應允，而且露出他猙獰的面目，表現他奸滑的把戲。始則虛立名目，避免與工會磋商……

1018 Stockton

Site of the Rose Pak Chinatown Branch of the Central Subway Station.

In the late 1870s, a series of Chinese businesses operated at 1018 Stockton including cigar and garment factories and a lodging house. The garment factories operated until 1896 when the location became Wong Chan Hing & Co. The business sold sewing machines, spool cotton, silk, and other clothing manufacturing products. The sewing machines found by archaeologists in the basement may have been the store’s outdated inventory. Thanks to archaeology, those old sewing machines buried beneath earthquake debris, long rusted silent, are now important relics giving voice to the hundreds of Chinese residents who worked and lived at 1018 Stockton Street. Although we do not know each of their individual stories, together they bring to life the history of this site, this industry, and the broader Chinatown story.

1018 Stockton

中央地鐵唐人埠白蘭站分線舊址

到了1870年代末期，有一系列的華人企業都在 Stockton街1018 號營運，包括有雪茄廠、 製衣廠和一所公寓。這些製衣廠一直經營到 1896 年，直至廠址變成了 Wong Chan Hing 公司。該店鋪售賣衣車、線軸棉、絲綢及有關製造服裝的其他物品。考古學家在地下室發現的衣車可能就是這家店鋪過時的存貨。承蒙考古工作，那些舊衣車在地震後，長期被覆蓋在瓦礫堆中，如今已成爲重要的歷史文物，並作爲舊日於Stockton街 1018 號數百名工人和居民的喉舌。雖然我們不知道他們每個人的個人故事，但是他們共同編織了這個地方、這個行業、和唐人埠更廣泛的故事。