Paterson’s silk industry program on Zoom
The Paterson Museum Foundation features “Silk, the Queen of Textiles: Its Production and Manufacture from Silkworm to Cherished Fabric,” presented by Giacomo DeStefano, the Paterson Museum’s director, on Zoom, on December 20, at 7 p.m.
The Jewish community made a significant contribution to the thriving silk industry of Paterson, both as laborers and as entrepreneurs. There were between 3,000 and 5,000 Jews employed in the industry, coming mostly from Poland, Russia, and Germany.
A native Patersonian who grew up surrounded by working textile mills, Mr. DeStefano has been the museum’s director for more than 30 years. During his tenure, the museum acquired the silk machinery that visitors see on display in the silk exhibit. In this presentation, Mr. DeStefano shares his extensive knowledge of the silk manufacturing process as he examines the silk industry, which grew to give Paterson the nickname Silk City. The focus will be a look at the many stages of the manufacturing process from dyeing and winding to weaving. Historic images of the Paterson silk mill experience, alongside images of the machinery on exhibit, help bring the process to life. For more information and the link, email events@patersonmuseumfoundation.org.
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