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El Monte SweatshopEl Monte sweatshop raid film negatives, 1990s

Object Details

Description
These negatives illustrate the inhumane working and living conditions of people that worked in sweatshops
On August 2, 1995, police officers raided a fenced seven-unit apartment complex in El Monte, California. They arrested eight operators of a clandestine garment sweatshop and freed 72 workers who were being forced to sew garments in virtual captivity. Smuggled from Thailand into the United States, the laborers’ plight brought a national spotlight to domestic sweatshop production and resulted in increased enforcement by federal and state labor agencies. The publicity of the El Monte raid also put added pressure on the apparel industry to reform its labor and business practices domestically and internationally.
Location
Currently not on view
Data Source
National Museum of American History
maker
Bonner, Phil
Date Made
1995
Credit Line
U.S. Department of Justice. Immigration and Naturalization Service
Physical Description
plastic; gelatin (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 3.5 cm; 1 3/8 in
Object Name
photograph
negative
This image is a modified copy of the collections object. The National Museum of American History made digital adjustments to increase the visibility of the depicted content. For a more faithful representation of the collections object, see image AHB2019q174667.
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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