September Is Winding Down
.....here's a follow up to my Happy Labor Day America! posting of this past September 7th:
After that recent Labor Day posting, I received this posting comment from Paul:
Chris: this photo of you in your union suit, the labor buttons and the packaged Healthknit "union made" union suit reminded me of a posting you did a couple years back about guys picketing a garment maker's building with signs and wearing just their union suits. It was a classic! You should re-post that one as a reminder of hard-working laborers who use to make our underwear. I know that industry went over seas long ago as my union suits are now made on the other side of the world and shipped to me to wear here in the U.S.
Back in the day, I had a red Healthknit union suit when I was a boy. My little brother got that one and a couple of others as hand-me-downs. We both to this day are still union suit fans and both love your blogs .....Paul, Williamsburg VA
You'll remember the posting Paul mentions. It first ran on December 4, 2020 and again last year on September 1st. Seems I posted that story longer ago but have decided to run it again, as it was one of my favorite postings too.
You've got to be serious about a cause if you're willing to strip to your long one-piece underwear, march around in public and appear on the front pages of newspapers across the nation. In case you missed it, here's that posting again:
Labor Day Reminds Me of Labor Unions which Remind Me of Union Suits,
and union suits and labor unions and labor day remind me of two prior postings of mine, one from my originial blog, Union Suit Fan, and the other from my companion blog, Union Suit Fans in the Limelight.
In 1941, textile union workers in Knoxville, TN went on strike having stripped first to their union suit underwear. You long time followers, may remember this post in Union Suit Fan on December 4, 2020.
YesterYear - Strident Strikers Strip
In April, 1941, textile workers walked a picket line in front of the closed Appalachian Mills garment factory in Knoxville, Tennessee. There were no less than thirteen textile mills operating in Knoxville then with most of them producing underwear and socks. Millions of men's and boys' union suits were made here.
A strike was called because a number of union men were fired from the plant. The striking picketers stripped to their own union suits in a demonstration of unity. Several of the men, some wearing hats, others carrying U.S. flags, but all wearing union suits, carried signs that read: “I Lost My Pants at Appalachian Mills.”
The strikers believed wearing nothing except their union suits would draw much more attention than if they were fully clothed. They were right. Their photo was published in newspapers across America that month. Textile mills in Knoxville produced more union suits in the first half of the 20th century than in anywhere else in North America. In fact, Knoxville was known as "The Underwear Capital of the World." If you wore underwear from the early to mid-1900's, your underwear was probably made in Knoxville.
Thanks to Joe of New York City for securing this photo for me.*
On December 14th, I received this email from Billy of Knoxville, TN:
"Chris: Even when I was a little boy, kids my age knew underwear of all types like my briefs and undershirts was made in Knoxville my hometown. Maybe my socks too, can't remember for sure. My grandpas and daddy wore union suits made here; uncles and older cousins too. Not year round but much of the year.
I followed 'suit,' pardon the pun, when I was about twelve years of age. But now my union suits are made in far away places like Indonesia or Honduras. The last two I bought were Duofolds made in India. I often wonder what the men and women who live in warmer climates and make our union suits these days must think of our western long underwear... 'Crazy Americans!' ...Billy"
*Joe: I haven't heard from you in awhile....drop me an email and tell me how you're doing!
