Interview with Olga Mele
IntervieweeInterview with
Olga Mele
Puerto Rican, 1917 - 2003
InterviewerInterviewed by
Ruth Glasser
American
InterviewerInterviewed by
Amanda Rivera-López
Date2000 June 26
Mediumdigitized audio cassette tape
DimensionsDuration (side 1): 46 Minutes, 5 Seconds
Duration (side 2): 22 Minutes, 27 Seconds
Duration (total runtime): 1 Hour, 8 Minutes, 33 Seconds
Duration (side 2): 22 Minutes, 27 Seconds
Duration (total runtime): 1 Hour, 8 Minutes, 33 Seconds
ClassificationsInformation Artifacts
Credit LineGift of the CHS Exhibitions Department
DescriptionAudio cassette tape of an interview with Olga Mele. Interviewed by Ruth Glasser and Amanda Rivera-López on June 26, 2000.
Olga Mele was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico. She moved to the United States in 1941. She describes how she met her husband in Puerto Rico in 1938, and they married in 1940. In 1941, the couple first lived in Vermont and Olga worked at the American Woolen Company. They then moved to Connecticut, and she worked at Pratt and Whitney running a milling machine. Her husband worked at Colt. She describes her work history during World War II. She describes the migration of Puerto Rican workers to Connecticut in the 1950s, who came to work on the tobacco farms. She describes the discrimination and racism Puerto Ricans endured. She describes how people needed to be bilingual. She describes her involvement with the church and various social programs she was involved with. Olga Mele worked at Community Renewal Team (CRT) and describes the anti-poverty programs she worked with and the San Juan Catholic Center. She describes her work in the political field, recruiting voters and volunteering for campaigns. She describes her relationship with Maria Sanchez.
Olga Mele was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico. She moved to the United States in 1941. She describes how she met her husband in Puerto Rico in 1938, and they married in 1940. In 1941, the couple first lived in Vermont and Olga worked at the American Woolen Company. They then moved to Connecticut, and she worked at Pratt and Whitney running a milling machine. Her husband worked at Colt. She describes her work history during World War II. She describes the migration of Puerto Rican workers to Connecticut in the 1950s, who came to work on the tobacco farms. She describes the discrimination and racism Puerto Ricans endured. She describes how people needed to be bilingual. She describes her involvement with the church and various social programs she was involved with. Olga Mele worked at Community Renewal Team (CRT) and describes the anti-poverty programs she worked with and the San Juan Catholic Center. She describes her work in the political field, recruiting voters and volunteering for campaigns. She describes her relationship with Maria Sanchez.
Object number2013.27.13
NotesSubject Note: Through the Nuestras Historias - Our Stories project, the Connecticut Historical Society collected oral histories and photographs from a few of those who helped establish the Puerto Rican community in Hartford. It was an online exhibition presenting the story through the words and images of the pioneers themselves.Nuestras Historias was funded by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the State of Connecticut, Department of Economic and Community Development, and the Connecticut Historical Society.
Subject Terms
- Hartford (Conn.)
- Puerto Ricans
- Oral history
- Interviews
- Oral narratives
- Family
- Marriage
- Children
- Education
- Factories
- World War, 1939-1945
- Tobacco workers
- Welfare rights movement
- Poverty
- Social services
- Discrimination
- Racism
- Spanish language
- Church
- Religion
- Politics, practical
- Politicians
- Women politicians
- Voting
- Elections
- San Juan Center (Hartford, Conn.)
- Community Renewal Team (Hartford, Conn.)
- Catholic Church
- Catholicism
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Hartford, Conn.)
- St. Peter's Church (Hartford, Conn.)
- Interviews and Oral Histories
- Audiocassettes
- Hartford
- Nuestras Historias Project [2000]
- Nuestras Historias - Our Histories Project
On View
Not on view