Documentary backdrop image for Within the Gates (2016)

201622 minPGdoc-short

Labor Historical Events Gender Equality

Within the Gates

201622 minPGdoc-short

Employment of women in the textile and garment industries is analyzed through the processes of cotton picking, cloth cutting, and shirt production.

Labor Historical Events Gender Equality

Genres

Channel: US National Archives

Within the Gates

2016• 22 minPG

Synopsis

Employment of women in the textile and garment industries is analyzed through the processes of cotton picking, cloth cutting, and shirt production.

Synopsis

Employment of women in the textile and garment industries is examined through silent film footage produced by the United States Department of Labor's Women's Bureau in 1930. The first reel highlights economic factors driving women to work, showcasing the processes of cotton picking and processing, including grading, combing, spinning, and warping. The second reel focuses on garment production, illustrating the cutting, stitching, ironing, folding, and boxing of shirts. This historical documentation reflects the significant role of women in the labor force during this period.

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