The Bridge
Large trunks discovered in a basement offer a window into the lives and struggles of early Filipino migrants
Abandoned trunks became time capsules of Little Manila’s Filipino migrant story.
Sam Vong, Smithsonian Institution
In 2005, Antonio Somera, a Filipino American member of the Legionarios del Trabajo, a Masonic fraternal order, stumbled across a trove of mysterious-looking containers while he was cleaning out the basement of the Daguhoy Lodge in Stockton, California.
The containers, which had been abandoned for decades, included more than a dozen steamer trunks – large luggage chests designed for long-distance travel – and a handful of suitcases dating to the 1910s.
They belonged to former Legionarios del Trabajo members who at some point lived in the lodge but had passed away. Fraternal brothers packed their personal belongings to memorialize the deceased and hoped that surviving family members would later reclaim the objects.
These unusual time capsules and their contents tell a largely forgotten history of the men and women who had left the Philippines in the 1910s to work in Hawaii’s sugar industry and later settled in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Affectionately dubbed “Little Manila,” south Stockton became an important hub for one of the largest communities of Filipinos outside the Philippines.
Along with my curatorial assistant, Ethan Johanson, we studied the fascinating objects and photographs found in the trunks to tell the story of this largely forgotten cohort of migrants.
Here are five objects that capture the breadth and depth of life and work in California, Hawaii and other states for Filipino migrants. They’re among those featured in an exhibition created by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Titled, “How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories,” the exhibition explores the making of the Filipino American community in Stockton between the 1910s and 1970s.
1. The steamer trunk
This steamer trunk formerly belonged to Anastacio Atig Omandam, a worker who arrived in Honolulu from the Philippine province Negros Oriental in January 1916.
In his 20s, Omandam embarked on a two- to three-week voyage across the Pacific Ocean, leaving his rural and impoverished hometown to earn money to send home.
Omandam was part of a group of mostly young, single men who were recruited by sugar plantation companies as early as 1906 to work in Hawaii’s booming sugar industry. Between 1906 and 1935, thousands of men – and later women – left their hometowns in the Ilocos and Visayas regions of the Philippines for Hawaii, toiling on plantations alongside other immigrant workers.
After the United States defeated Spain in the 1898 Spanish-American War, the Philippines was under U.S. colonial rule until 1935.
Filipinos living under American rule and in U.S. territories were designated as U.S. nationals, an ambiguous legal status. It allowed Filipinos to migrate relatively freely within U.S. territories, but they lacked constitutional protections and privileges such as citizenship and voting rights.
Omandam’s steamer trunk is emblematic of the trunks discovered by Somera in 2005. Omandam likely bought the trunk secondhand in the Philippines or Hawaii. While the origins of the trunk remain a mystery, it traveled with Omandam from job to job, reflecting the life of a migrant worker continually on the move. Many of these trunks – Omandam’s included – contained handwritten correspondence written in beautiful cursive, photographs, postcards, work tools, garments and pay stubs.
They were, in essence, time capsules of each of these men’s lives.
2. An asparagus knife
The large, unusual-looking metal instrument found in one trunk is a knife that farmworkers used to harvest asparagus.
During the harvesting season, typically between February and June, workers wielded this knife, using the sharp edge of the forked blade to pierce approximately 6 inches (15 centimeters) below the soil to cut the root of the asparagus.
Harvesting asparagus demanded dexterity and speed. Workers needed to constantly bend over to cut and collect the produce as they moved up and down the rows. This repetitive and backbreaking motion earned Filipino farmworkers the derogatory label “stoop labor.”
After a series of restrictive immigration laws barred Chinese, Japanese and other immigrant groups between the 1870s and 1920s, growers and agribusiness turned to hiring Filipinos and Mexicans to harvest seasonal crops such as lettuce, grapes and asparagus, among others.
When the harvesting season was over, Filipino farmworkers migrated to other West Coast states to harvest apples, hops and grapes. Others went to Alaska to can salmon.
The asparagus knife was found among the containers in the basement, alongside other grafting and pruning knives. These tools – still carrying the soil from which they were tilled – represent the work of the immigrant farmworkers of all backgrounds who helped build California’s agriculture industry, which continues to feed the nation today.
3. Three-piece suits
Three-piece suits were found in nearly all the steamer trunks, along with Stetson hats, bow ties and other fashionable accessories from the 1920s and ’30s.
Despite earning meager wages, most Filipino farmworkers saved their hard-earned money to purchase at least one tailored three-piece suit. Men donned these stylish garments to attend Sunday Mass, dinners and taxi-dance halls – where they could pay a small fee to dance with a professional dancer – or merely to strut their stuff down the streets of Stockton’s Little Manila.
Because Americans often looked down upon agricultural workers as uncultured and illiterate – “little brown monkeys” was a common slur – Filipinos resisted these negative characterizations by presenting themselves like the Hollywood movie stars they saw at the cinema. They understood the power of self-presentation: By embracing popular American styles, they sought to command respect and dignity.
They also wore these suits to pose for fancy photographs that were sent back home to the Philippines as a way to display affluence and social mobility – and to entice their compatriots to join them in the U.S.
Not everyone was enchanted. Some white Americans viewed these slick, handsomely dressed Filipino men as a sexual threat that could “steal” their women.
4. A pageant dress
This sequined dress belonged to Barbara Nambatac, a longtime resident of Livingston, California, who grew up among the “manongs,” a kinship title meaning older brother often used when referring to this early generation of Filipino migrants.
Her Filipino father was a cook who served food to Filipino and Mexican field hands on farms throughout California’s Central Valley, where he later met Nambatac’s Mexican mother.
In the 19th century and into the 20th century, California’s anti-miscegenation laws prohibited whites from marrying outside their race. At the same time, the shared experiences of Mexican and Filipino farmworkers often led to relationships between members of the two migrant groups.
When Barbara was 21, Nambatac’s father, who was a member of the Legionarios del Trabajo in Stockton, saved his modest salary to buy the dress from the Philippines and registered her in a beauty pageant that helped raise funds for the lodge. She ultimately took first place.
In Stockton’s Little Manila, pageants reinforced the importance of women in the community. Since women were discouraged from migrating, there was a gender imbalance in Filipino American communities that persisted for decades.
Filipinas who were able to migrate to the United States were important pillars in Stockton’s Filipino American community and assumed multiple roles. Women labored tirelessly alongside men in the fields, performed domestic work in households, advised young men to save money and go to school, and built and maintained networks that sustained local communities and transpacific ties back home in the Philippines.
Although the gender disparity was stark in Little Manila before the 1960s, the presence of women and girls ensured the survival of Filipino American families.
5. A pillowcase
This pillowcase was one of three found in Anastacio Omandam’s steamer trunk.
It’s embroidered with floral patterns and a poignant message – “How Can You Forget Me” – which inspired the exhibition’s title. The pillowcases, along with letters and photographs, evoke the sentimental messages that connected friends, families and lovers separated by a vast ocean.
In the case of Omandam, a loved one from the Philippines likely sent him the pillowcase. The lack of punctuation is interesting: It serves as neither a question nor a declaration, but nonetheless urges Omandam to never let go of his memories of home.
In the same way, I hope the exhibition will implore visitors to never forget this generation of men and women who paved a path for other Filipino immigrants. More than 4.4 million Americans identify as having Filipino ancestry, according to the 2020 U.S. census.
These objects reflect the stories of ordinary people who were resourceful, creative, resilient and filled with hope in the face of discrimination, racism and legal exclusion.
The odds were constantly stacked against them. And yet they persevered – each strike into the soil, each coin saved to save up for a new suit, each lodge meeting and each beauty pageant taking them one step closer to forging a place for themselves in the American story.
Sam Vong, Curator of Asian Pacific American History, Smithsonian Institution
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Community
ABCs for School Zone Safety: Tips for Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists
School Zone Safety: A new school year means there’s more traffic around school campuses. Between dropoffs and pickups, children riding bicycles, walking to school and all the shuttling between sports practices and other extracurricular activities, this season is a reminder to make every trip to and from school a safe one.
ABCs for School Zone Safety: Tips for Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists
(Feature Impact) A new school year means there’s more traffic around school campuses. Between dropoffs and pickups, children riding bicycles, walking to school and all the shuttling between sports practices and other extracurricular activities, this season is a reminder to make every trip to and from school a safe one.
To make sure no parent worries about their child getting to school safely, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Caltrans are encouraging drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists to remember their “ABCs” on every trip: stay Alert for Bicyclists and watch for and yield to Children crossing the street.
With students in school and traffic patterns changing, consider these tips so students arrive to and from class safely:
Drivers
Because children outside of vehicles do not have the same protections as drivers and passengers, drivers have an outsized role to protect people walking, biking and rolling.
- Take your time and be patient.
- Always follow the speed limit.
- Use extra caution at crosswalks and intersections, especially if you notice children nearby.
- Don’t drive distracted – even a quick glance at your phone can have tragic consequences.
- Never drive while impaired.
- Adjust your driving to the conditions and use extra caution in rain, fog and darkness.
- If you see a bicyclist ahead, wait until it’s safe to pass and give them at least 3 feet of space when you do.
Pedestrians
Pedestrians have an important role in their own safety, particularly in school zones and crosswalks where children and other people may be present.
- Use sidewalks when available. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic so you can see drivers and they can see you.
- Avoid crossing outside of crosswalks. If there is a signalized crosswalk or marked crosswalk, use it.
- Before crossing the street, look both ways. If there are any stopped or turning cars, try to make eye contact with the drivers before crossing so you know they see you.
- If you’re walking after dark or when visibility is poor, make yourself visible by wearing something bright or reflective and shining a light.
- Stay alert – don’t wear headphones or use your phone while crossing the street or walking across a busy road.
Bicyclists
Bicyclists can help protect themselves by staying alert and visible, especially in areas where traffic, pedestrians and young students may be present.
- When possible, plan your route along bike paths or roads with dedicated bike lanes away from vehicle traffic.
- Equip your bicycle with lights and reflectors to be more visible to drivers and pedestrians.
- Wear a properly fitted helmet and bright clothing.
- Learn cyclist hand signals to communicate when you’re turning, slowing or stopping.
- Stay aware of drivers and always yield to pedestrians.
To learn more and join the movement, visit GoSafelyCA.org.
E-Bike Safety Tips
With more young people using e-bikes than ever before, it’s important that riders and their parents or guardians understand the risks involved and make smart, safe choices.
Since e-bikes can travel at faster speeds than traditional bicycles, they pose greater risk for serious injury or death in the event of a crash. Class 1 and 2 e-bikes can both travel at up to 20 mph unassisted, while Class 3 e-bikes can go as fast as 28 mph unassisted.
E-bike rules vary based on the top unassisted speed, but parents and guardians should follow these tips for e-bikes:
- Many local ordinances and state laws restrict e-bike use for minors or require special licensing.
- Helmets are required for riders under age 18 for Class 1-2 e-bikes and all riders on Class 3 e-bikes, regardless of age.
- You must be 16 years or older to ride a Class 3 e-bike.
- Never ride e-bikes that don’t have pedals as they could be considered e-motos and not legally permitted on roads.
- Ride in bike lanes or on legal paths, avoiding roads with traffic when possible.
- Be as predictable as possible and use caution when making turns, crossing streets or riding in conditions with poor visibility.
E-bike rules may vary by state and regionally. Contact local law enforcement regarding local laws.
SOURCE:
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Forgotten Genius Fridays
Alexander Miles: The Black Inventor Who Helped Make Elevators Safer
In 1887, Black inventor Alexander Miles patented an improved mechanism for operating elevator car and shaft doors, helping make elevator travel safer and more convenient.
Elevators transformed American cities, allowing buildings to rise higher and making upper floors more accessible. But early elevator travel carried a serious danger: doors had to be opened and closed manually, and an elevator shaft could remain exposed if someone failed to secure it properly.
Alexander Miles, a Black inventor, barber and businessman, developed an innovative solution. His patented mechanism helped elevators operate their car and shaft doors automatically, making elevator travel safer and more convenient.
The danger of early elevators
By the late 19th century, elevators were appearing in hotels, offices and other multistory buildings. Although they made vertical travel easier, many depended on operators or passengers to close the doors manually.
A carelessly opened shaft door could expose an empty elevator shaft. Miles recognized that elevator safety could not always depend on someone remembering to close every door.
He designed a system that connected the movement of the elevator car with the operation of its doors.
Alexander Miles’ elevator innovation
On October 11, 1887, Miles received U.S. Patent No. 371,207 for what he described as “new and useful improvements in elevators.”
His design addressed two related problems. It provided a way to close shaft openings above and below the elevator car, and it allowed the movement of the car to help open and close the elevator doors at the appropriate floor.
Miles’s mechanism used a flexible belt attached to the elevator car, along with drums positioned at the top and bottom of the shaft. A system of levers, rollers and specially designed grooves helped control the car and shaft doors as the elevator moved.
The goal was straightforward but potentially lifesaving: prevent elevator-shaft openings from being left unprotected because of human negligence.
Did Alexander Miles invent the elevator door?
Alexander Miles is sometimes described as the inventor of the automatic elevator door. The complete history is more complicated.
John W. Meaker received a patent for an earlier automatic elevator-door mechanism in 1874, approximately 13 years before Miles received his patent. Therefore, Miles should not be credited with inventing the first automatic elevator door.
What Miles did was develop and patent his own important improvement to the way elevator car and shaft doors operated. His design advanced the effort to make elevators safer, more reliable and easier to use.
Recognizing that distinction does not diminish his accomplishment. Invention is often a continuing process in which engineers and innovators improve existing technology. Miles contributed a valuable new solution to a dangerous problem.
More than an inventor
Born in 1838, Alexander Miles built a successful life during an era when Black Americans faced severe restrictions on economic opportunity.
Miles worked as a barber before establishing himself in Duluth, Minnesota. He operated a barbershop in the city’s St. Louis Hotel and invested in real estate. He also became the first Black member of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce.
His achievements extended beyond mechanical invention. In Chicago, Miles later established the United Brotherhood, an organization intended to provide life insurance to Black Americans who were frequently denied coverage by established insurance companies.
That part of his story demonstrates the larger scope of his work. Miles was not only interested in solving mechanical problems. He also attempted to create economic security and opportunity for members of his community.
A lasting contribution to elevator safety
Modern elevators use far more sophisticated electrical controls, sensors and computerized safety systems than those available during Miles’s lifetime. His exact mechanism is not the system operating inside every elevator today.
However, the safety principle behind his work remains essential: an elevator should coordinate the movement of the car with the opening and closing of its doors, while preventing passengers from entering an unprotected shaft.
In recognition of his contribution, Alexander Miles was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.
Remembering Alexander Miles accurately
Alexander Miles did not invent the elevator, and he was not the first person to patent an automatic elevator-door system. He was a creative Black inventor who recognized a serious safety hazard and developed a patented method for addressing it.
Everyday technologies are rarely the work of only one person. They develop through generations of experimentation, refinement and improvement. Miles deserves recognition as one of the innovators who helped move elevator technology toward the safer automatic operation passengers now expect.
His work is another reminder that Black inventors helped build and improve many of the technologies that shaped modern American life.
Forgotten Genius Friday celebrates the Black inventors, scientists and innovators whose ideas helped shape the world—even when their names were left out of the history books.
Sources
- Alexander Miles — U.S. Patent No. 371,207
- Alexander Miles — National Inventors Hall of Fame
- Alexander Miles Patent — IEEE REACH
- Alexander Miles — Lemelson-MIT Program
- Alexander Miles — Duluth Public Library’s Vintage Duluth
Historical context
The Knowledge
Exploring the Best Neighborhoods in Downtown Los Angeles
From the Arts District and Little Tokyo to the Historic Core and Bunker Hill, discover the best neighborhoods in Downtown Los Angeles and what makes each one worth exploring.
Last Updated on August 5, 2026 by Daily News Staff
The Best Neighborhoods in Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles has undergone one of the most remarkable transformations of any urban center in the United States. Once known primarily as the city’s business district, DTLA has evolved into a vibrant collection of neighborhoods, each offering its own unique character, history, dining, entertainment, and cultural experiences.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor, a longtime Angeleno, or planning your next weekend adventure, these are some of Downtown LA’s must-visit neighborhoods.
Arts District: Where Creativity Comes to Life
The Arts District has become one of the city’s most exciting destinations. Former warehouses have been transformed into lofts, art galleries, coffee shops, breweries, and award-winning restaurants.
Visitors can spend hours exploring colorful murals, browsing independent boutiques, and discovering public art around nearly every corner. It’s a neighborhood that celebrates creativity while preserving its industrial roots.
Perfect for: Art lovers, photographers, foodies, and nightlife.
Historic Core: A Walk Through Old Los Angeles
The Historic Core showcases Downtown LA’s architectural heritage. Along Broadway and surrounding streets, beautifully restored theaters, historic hotels, and early 20th-century buildings tell the story of a booming city during Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Highlights include the iconic Bradbury Building, Grand Central Market, and numerous rooftop restaurants overlooking the skyline.
Perfect for: History buffs and architecture enthusiasts.
South Park: Entertainment Central
South Park is home to some of Los Angeles’ biggest attractions, including LA Live and Crypto.com Arena. The neighborhood has added thousands of apartments, new restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues over the past two decades.
Whether you’re attending a Lakers game, a concert, or simply enjoying dinner before an event, South Park offers something for everyone.
Perfect for: Sports fans, concerts, and nightlife.
Little Tokyo: A Cultural Treasure
One of only a handful of historic Japantowns remaining in the United States, Little Tokyo offers authentic Japanese cuisine, specialty shops, cultural events, museums, and peaceful gardens.
From fresh sushi and ramen to Japanese bakeries and tea houses, visitors can experience generations of cultural heritage in just a few city blocks.
Perfect for: Families, food lovers, and cultural exploration.
Bunker Hill: Downtown’s Cultural Heart
Bunker Hill combines modern architecture with world-class arts and culture. Home to Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Grand Park, this neighborhood is ideal for visitors looking to experience Downtown’s artistic side.
Its dramatic skyline and public spaces also make it one of the most photographed areas in Los Angeles.
Perfect for: Museum lovers and architecture fans.
Financial District: The Skyline of Los Angeles
Glass skyscrapers, luxury hotels, and bustling sidewalks define the Financial District. While it remains the city’s business center during the workweek, the neighborhood also offers excellent dining, rooftop lounges, and convenient access to other parts of Downtown.
Chinatown: Tradition Meets Modern LA
Los Angeles’ Chinatown blends rich history with a growing collection of contemporary restaurants, galleries, and community events. Visitors can enjoy traditional cuisine alongside modern culinary experiences while exploring one of the city’s oldest cultural neighborhoods.
Fashion District: A Shopper’s Paradise
Covering more than 100 city blocks, the Fashion District is one of the largest garment centers in the country. Whether you’re searching for fabrics, clothing, accessories, or bargains at Santee Alley, this neighborhood attracts shoppers from across Southern California.
A Downtown That Continues to Evolve
Downtown Los Angeles isn’t just one destination—it’s a collection of neighborhoods that reflect the city’s diversity, creativity, and resilience. From historic landmarks and world-class museums to vibrant street art and internationally inspired cuisine, DTLA offers something new around nearly every corner.
Whether you’re planning a day trip or an extended visit, exploring these neighborhoods is one of the best ways to experience the energy and history of Los Angeles.
Related External Links
- Discover Los Angeles – Explore Downtown LA
- Grand Central Market
- The Broad Museum
- Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Japanese American National Museum (Little Tokyo)
- Arts District Los Angeles
- LA Live
- LA Metro – Getting Around Downtown Los Angeles
- Olvera Street and El Pueblo Historic Monument
- Visit California – Los Angeles Travel Guide
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