Oral Histories of Colombian Textile Workers in Greenville, SC

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  Aliz Henao Rodríguez and Teresa Rodríguez (nickname: las Latino)

  Aliz Henao Rodríguez, Teresa Rodríguez, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Aliz Henao Rodríguez and Teresa Rodríguez. Aliz Henao and Teresa Rodríguez arrived in the United States in December, 1969, from Colombia. They came first to Central Falls, Rhode Island. They were the third Colombian family that came to Central Falls. Aliz's father, Teresa's husband, named Latino Rodríguez, was a textiles mechanic, and he was recruited to come to Rhode Island to work in the textile industry. In their oral history they tell the story of how and why they came to the United States. They talk about life in Rhode Island and how the family made their way to Greenville, SC, in 1975. They detail how their entire family came to work in the textile industry in Greenville. They talk about the hard work, the many hours, the relationships with their American coworkers, and their life at home. Aliz Henao and Teresa speak about the social life in Greenville with other Colombians, the Knights of Columbus, dances, and the close connections. They conclude looking back fondly at their time in the United States, and in the textile industry in Greenville.

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  Amparo Muñoz

  Amparo Muñoz, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Amparo Muñoz. Amparo came to the United States in 1963. She first lived in New York. In her oral history she tells of how she made her way to Greenville, SC, in the 1970's, and began working in the textile industry there. Amparo brought her family to Greenville, and she talks about them, and shares memories of Greenville in the seventies, discrimination and race relations, working in the textile mills, the working conditions, and their social life. -- Amparo passed away in May 2019 shy of a year after our interview. She left a lasting memory in us with her brightness, sense of humor, love and optimism. We had lots of fun interviewing her, and miss her very much. EN ESPAÑOL: Amparo falleció en mayo del 2019, menos de un año después de que la entrevistamos. Nos dejó recuerdos perdurables con su chispa, su sentido de humor, su cariño y optimismo. Nos divertimos mucho entrevistándola, y la extrañamos muchísimo.

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  Aura and Héctor Tabares

  Aura Tabares, Héctor Tabares, and Sofía Kearns

  Video interview with Aura and Héctor Tabares. Héctor Tabares worked in the Colombian textile industry before immigrating to the United States in 1973. He first worked in the textile industry in Rhode Island. He heard about the textile industry in Greenville, SC, and decided to move there. Aura immigrated to the United States in 1977, coming directly to Greenville, and getting involved in the textile industry there in 1980. In their oral history they detail how and why they came to Greenville, and the jobs they did. They talk about the Colombian community in Greenville, and balancing textile industry work, at that time, with raising children. Aura and Héctor conclude the interview comparing work in Colombia to work in Greenvile, and they also talk about the inportant role of Hispanics in U.S. industries.

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  Carlos Tobón

  Carlos Tobón, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Carlos Tobón. Carlos Tobón started working in the Colombian textile industry at the age of eighteen. He worked in the Fabricato Mill as a weaver for ten years before immigrating to the United States in 1970. In his oral history, Carlos details how and why he came to the U.S. He started working in textiles in Rhode Island, and when the company closed there, he came to Greenville, SC, where he worked in the Woodside and Beatty Mills. He provides details about his job as a weaver, and compares his job in Greenville to his former one in Medellín.

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  Carlos y Gloria Mejía

  Carlos Mejía, Gloria Mejía, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Carlos and Gloria Mejía. Carlos is from Medellín, and he starts the oral history talking about working in the Colombian textile industry, detailing how he made his way to the United States in 1973, and working in textiles in New Jersey. Gloria then tells about her arrival to the United States in 1974. She first came to Pennsylvannia. After making their way to Greenville, SC, Carlos and Gloria began working in the textile industry there, and in this oral history they share stories of their lives employed in the mills, working conditions, social life, and raising their children.

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  Darío y Haydée López

  Darío López, Haydée López, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Dario and Haydée López. Haydée is from Panama and Dario is from Medellín. They begin their oral history talking about their early lives, how they started in the textile industry, how they met in Panama, and immigrated to the United States to work in the Rhode Island textile industry. They eventually heard about textiles in Greenville, SC, and they share the story of how they made their way there. Dario and Haydée tell about working in the Greenville area mills, and the conditions there. They talk about starting their own business and retiring from the textile industry. Dario and Haydée close their oral history sharing some memories of working in textiles.

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  Elsie Alvarez

  Elsie Alvarez, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Elsie Alvarez. Elsie Alvarez is from Medellín. Her father was recruited to work in the textile industry in the United States, and he brought Elsie and her family to Greenvile, SC, in 1975. In this oral history, Elsie describes how she came to the United States and her work in the textile mills. She talks about her family and work, as well as their social life, and leisure activities during her time in the textile industry. She speaks about her family ties to Colombia, and compares the textile industry in Colombia to the industry in Greenville, SC. Elsie also talks about the modernization of the textile industry over the years.

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  Freddy Pfleiderer

  Freddy Pfleiderer, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Freddy Pfleiderer. Freddy begins his oral history talking about his life in the Colombian textile industry. He started at a very early age and worked many places, gaining valuable experience. He details his work history and tells of how he, and others, came to work in the United States textile industry. Freddy first worked in the U.S. in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and he tells of his extraordinary career trajectory as a loom mechanic, travelling first to Switzerland to live, train, and work, and then working all around the world. He moved to Greenville, SC, in 1969, to work for Milliken Mill. He talks about how more Colombians arrived in Greenville after him to work in the textile industry. He shares details about their work, social life, and leisure activities. Freddy closes the oral history discussing the fall of the textile industry in the U.S.

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  Jimmy Palacio and Luis Fernando López

  Jimmy Palacio, Luis Fernando López, Sofía Kearns, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Jimmy Palacio and Luis Fernando López. Jimmy Palacio was born in Jericó, Antioquia, Colombia, and came to the United States in 1997, first to New York and New Jersey, then to South Carolina. Luis Fernando López was born in Itagüí, Antioquia, Colombia, and came to the United States when he was 16. Luis' father emigrated first and was a textile producer in Rhode Island in the 70's. He brought his family later, and when Luis arrived he started working in the restaurant business there. When Luis was older he moved his family to Greenville, SC, where he met his great friend Jimmy Palacio. Jimmy Palacio opened "Cositas Ricas," the first Colombian restaurant in Greenville, where the two men met. Throughout the interview the two discuss why they, and many other Colombians, came to Greenville, SC. They discuss their friendship, opening businesses, their families, and the Greenville Colombian community. They credit the Greenville textile industry and the Colombians that came before them to work in the industry for such a great Colombian community in the Greenville area. The men close the interview speaking about their return to Colombia and what they are doing now.

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  La Familia Posada

  Luis Carlos Posada, Luz María Posada, Myriam Posada, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with members of the Posada family, Luis Carlos Posada, Luz María Posada, and Myriam Posada. The three siblings begin their oral history talking about their father, who worked in the textile industry in Colombia, how he came to the United States to work in textiles, and later brought them in 1975. They speak about the discrimination they faced at work in the mills, and school, in Greenville. The Posadas decribe their work in the mill, the working conditions, and factory environment, then talk about how their father brought more family from Colombia. They compare Medellín and Greenville, and speak on the topics of work and school, social life, friendships with other Colombians in the area, and their relationship with their Dad. The Posada siblings conclude their oral history talking about the decline of textiles.

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  Latino Rodríguez

  Latino Rodríguez, Santiago Quintero, Sofía Kearns, Táriq Burney, and Adriana Bernal Mor

  Video interview with Latino Rodríguez. Latino begins the interview giving a detailed history of how he started at the bottom in the Colombian textile industry and worked very hard to move up to mechanic. He discusses his jobs in textiles in Colombia and talks of different factories and working conditions. Latino tells of how he emigrated to the United States, going to work in textiles in Rhode Island. Later, because of crime in the area, he decided to move to Greenville, SC, and he tells of his journey there, and how he started there in textiles. Latino compares working in Colombia to working in Greenville, and he talks about the differences in Rhode Isalnd and Greenville. Latino mentions American Spinning, Monaghan, and the Woodside companies. He tells about life in Greenville with friends, family, and work. Latino closes the interview talking about life back in Colombia now that he is getting older.

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  Mercedes Gomez

  Mercedes Gomez, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Mercedes Gomez. Mercedes Gomez came to the United States in 1969. She begins her oral history talking about her time working at Woodside Mill, in Greenville, SC. Mercedes shares the story of her time in Colombia before coming to the U.S., how she came to New York, and then later, Greenville. She speaks about the social life with other Colombians in the Greenville area, details her work in the mill, and talks about how Greenville has changed over the years since her arrival. She also compares her time in New York to her time in Greenville, shares some scary experiences, and tells how she lived in fear during some of those years before she got her visa.

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  Nemesio Loaiza

  Nemesio Loaiza, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Nemesio Loaiza. Nemesio Loaiza was born in Colombia in 1934. He was a shoemaker in Colombia, and did not work in the textile industry until he came to the United States. In this oral history Nemesio tells of how he started in the textile industry in Greenville, SC, as a sweeper, but then moved up to other jobs and a long career in textiles. He details his career in the textile mill, how he came to the United States from Colombia, the working conditions for him, and the social life in Greenville. He speaks about his family, how he brought them to the United States, their life, and what they are all doing now. Nemesio dicusses the changes in Greenville over the years, immigration, and shares the good things, and the challenges of life as an immigrant, working and living in Greenville.

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  Rocío and Jamie Gutiérrez

  Rocío Gutiérrez, Jamie Gutiérrez, Sofía Kearns, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Rocío and Jamie Gutiérrez. Rocío is from Medellín, Colombia, and she came to the United States on July 27, 1975, first to Miami, then Chicago before she finally made her way to Greenville, SC. Jamie Gutiérrez was already in New York at that time and he came to Greenville in 1976. The two met in Greenville and married. Rocío and Jamie talk about their lives working in the Greenville area textile industry. They discuss their different jobs in different mills. They talk about the hard work, the many hours, and the relationships with their American coworkers. They tell of the Latin American community in the area, and working and raising a family in Greenville. Rocío and Jamie also discuss how they moved on from textiles after the industry started to decline.

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  Rodrigo Valencia

  Rodrigo Valencia, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Rodrigo Valencia. Rodrigo Valencia began working in the Colombian textile industry at a very young age, and he came to the United States to work in the textile industry in Rhode Island in 1963. In his oral history Rodrigo tells of bringing his family to Greenville, SC, and working in the textile industry there. He speaks about the decline of textiles in the area, and tells how laid off workers received training in other trades. He talks about his work in Colombia, and how and why he came to the United States. Rodrigo compares the working conditions in Colombia to those in the U.S., the good things and bad things, and talks about being one of the first Hispanics in the Greenville area when he moved to South Carolina.

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  Salvador González

  Salvador González, Magaly González, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Salvador González. Salvador González was born in Medellín, Colombia, in 1929. He begins his oral history talking about his work in the textile industry in Colombia. He shares his story of how he came to the United States to work in textiles, first in Rhode Island, and then later at the Brandon Mill in Greenville, SC. Salvador tells of the working conditions in the textile mills, talks about his limited social life and leisure activities, and how he brought more family members to the United States. He also compares working in the Colombian textile industry with the textile industry in the U.S.

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  Sara Quintana

  Sara Quintana, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Sara Quintana. Unlike many of the “pioneers,” Sara Quintana came to the U.S. in 1987, in a later wave of immigration from Colombia, propelled by the problems of insecurity and unemployment in the 1980 and 1990s in that country. She became a textile worker in Greenville, finding later employment in textile-related companies, mostly doing embroidery. Sara came to the U.S. to earn money for her daughter's college tuition, and she details her journey, and the different jobs she had in the textile industry. She talks about her co-workers, the working conditions and pay, the social life for Hispanics in the area, and she shares some funny stories. Sara concludes comparing Colombia and life in Greenville, and she reflects on her overall positive experience in South Carolina.

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  Víctor Velásquez

  Víctor Velásquez, Sofía Kearns, Ingrid Ramos, Marina Cox, and Whitney Maness

  Video interview with Víctor Velásquez. Víctor Velásquez worked in the Colombian textile industry before moving to the United States. Victor came to Greenville, SC, in 1978. He became a doffer, and worked in the Woodside Mill and then the Beatty Plant. In his oral history Victor tells about his work in textiles in the Greenville area, describes his job, as well as the jobs he had after the mills closed. He compares the textile industry in Medellín to the industry in Greenville, and also compares Colombian life to life in the United States. Victor shares some funny situations about adapting to life and work in the U.S., and his relationships with friends, other Hispanics in the area, coworkers, and supervisors. Victor concludes with looking back positively on his forty years in the Greenville area.