A Steel Town: Dues Paid
A Steel Town: Dues Paid
A Steel Town: Dues Paid

A Steel Town: Dues Paid

Object number2019.146.1
Artist
Photographer
Date2015
MediumFabric; Dye; Ink; Metal; Celluloid; Hand-silkscreened images on hand-dyed fabric; image transfer, fused applique; machine pieced and quilted
Credit LineGift of Patricia Kennedy-Zafred
DescriptionRectangular quilted wall hanging with forty-three (43) applied pinback buttons. Front is divided into five columns of silkscreened photographic images. The first, third, and fifth columns have four images each consisting of a repeated steel mill image and two repeated images of groups of steelworkers walking. The second and fourth columns have three images each consisting of three repeated images of individual bust portraits of steelworkers. All the images with the steelworkers have applied metal and celluloid pinback buttons with printed text regarding unions dues or union issues. Overall the quilt appears black and white with sepia-tone, blue, and green colors. Quilt has thin border and is quilted in wavy lines. Reverse is light brown quilted fabric. Reverse has two white and brown fabric hanging sleeves at top and one weighting sleeve at bottom.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 48.5 × 72.25 × 0.5 in. (123.2 × 183.5 × 1.3 cm)
InscriptionsColumn 1, Square 1:
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / MAR / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Orange button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / JAN. / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Blue button with black and blue text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”;
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”.

Column 1, Square 3:
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”;
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”;
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / SEPT / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / AUG / 1941 / C.I.O.”

Column 1, Square 4:
White, red, and blue button with red, white, and blue text “UNITED STEEL WORKERS OF AMERICA / DUES PAID BY / USA / 1945 / CHECK OFF / C.I.O.”;
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / MAR / 1941 / C.I.O.”

Column 2, Square 1:
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / MAR / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Pink button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / NOV. / 1938 / C.I.O.”;
Beige button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / OCT. / 1937 / C.I.O.”;
White button with red, white, and blue text “UNITED STEEL WORKERS OF AMERICA / DUES PAID BY / USA / 1945 / CHECK OFF / C.I.O.”;
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”.

Column 2, Square 2:
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / JAN. / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / MAR. / 1938 / C.I.O.”;
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”.

Column 2, Square 3:
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR /SEPT / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Pink button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR /MAY / 1938 / C.I.O.”;
Yellow button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / AUG. / 1938 / C.I.O.”;
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”.

Column 3, Square 2:
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”;
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / MAR / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / SEPT / 1941 / C.I.O.”

Column 3, Square 4:
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / AUG / 1941 / C.I.O.”

Column 4, Square 1:
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”;
Gray button with blue text “NO BOSS / SHALL RULE / THIS TOWN / COMPLIMENTS / THE INQUIRER”;
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / JAN. / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Green button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / JUNE / 1938 / C.I.O.”;
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”.

Column 4, Square 2:
Grey button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / SEPT. / 1937 / C.I.O.”;
Orange button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / MAR. / 1938 / C.I.O.”;
Red and white button with red and white text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / NOV. / 1937 / C.I.O.”;
Red, white, and blue button with red, white, and blue text “UNITED STEEL WORKERS OF AMERICA / DUES PAID BY / USA / 1945 / CHECK OFF”.

Column 4, Square 3:
Purple button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR /JULY / 1937 / C.I.O.”;
Orange button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / MAR / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Green button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / DEC. / 1937 / C.I.O.”.

Column 5, Square 1:
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / JAN. / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”;
Peach button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / MAR / 1941 / C.I.O.”

Column 5, Square 3:
Orange button with black text “STEEL WORKERS ORGANIZING COMMITTEE / DUES PAID / FOR / JAN. / 1941 / C.I.O.”;
Black and white button with black and white text “UNITED STEELWORKERS / DUES PAID FOR / DEC / “CHECK-OFF” / C.I.O. / 1943 / OF AMERICA”.

Historical NotesThis quilted wall hanging titled "A Steel Town: Dues Paid," was made by Patricia Kennedy-Zafred. It is from Kennedy-Zafred's series titled "Men At Work: Coal and Steel." The piece was completed in August 2015 and has hand silkscreened images on hand dyed fabrics. The original images were taken by Arthur Rothstein in July of 1938 and are from the Library of Congress.Label TextA Steel Town: Dues Paid, hand-silkscreened images on hand-dyed fabric; image transfer, fused applique; machine pieced and quilted, 2015 This quilt is a tribute to the Western Pennsylvania steelworkers who worked long hours in risky conditions to support their families and ensure a better future for their children. The title references the union dues paid buttons on the shirts of the newly organized steelworkers that represented the promise of the American dream. Original photographs by Arthur Rothstein, July 1938
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