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.
Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection
WNYC archives id: 92583