ENGLISH CORNER, CON LINDA JIMÉNEZ – This week’s trivia question: In what imaginative way did the women ask for the men’s support, and how was this received?
Scott D. Seligman is an award-winning writer, and a historian, genealogist, retired corporate executive and specialist in China, where he lived for eight years. He holds an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University with high honors in American civilization and a master’s degree from Harvard University. He has published articles in Smithsonian magazine, the Washington Post, the Forward, the Asian Wall Street Journal, and China Heritage Quarterly, among others. He has also created several websites on historical and genealogical topics.
Seligman’s recently-published book The Great Kosher Meat War of 1902: Immigrant Housewives and the Riots that Shook New York City tells the story of how a group of mostly uneducated Jewish female immigrants organized themselves into a potent fighting force to take on the powerful midwestern Beef Trust that conspired to keep Kosher meat prices high.
The book gives an excellent description of life in the tenements at the turn of the 20th century, and also Jewish life and how it was organized at the time. It includes a detailed description of the events that occurred every day during the struggle, and is very well documented, with copious footnotes and an ample bibliography, for those who would like to delve into the subject more deeply. The book was a finalist for the 2020 National Jewish Book Awards and American Bookfest 17th Annual Best Book Awards.
