Can You Help Us?

The cataloguers and archivists of the Wootten collection faced the daunting task of preserving, storing, organizing, and identifying over 600,000 prints and negatives. They had neither the time nor the resources to research this particular group of images. Wootten, herself, was known to be lackadaisical in her labeling and dating. Proximity Manufacturing Company was, at one time, the corporate name embracing a diverse array of Cone Mills enterprises. We would like to know more. Which mills are these – White Oak, Revolution, Proximity? Who are the workers depicted here? When, precisely, were these photographs made? What technical aspects of the manufacturing process are being enacted? The Greensboro community constitutes a vast resource of local knowledge. We invite you, the audience -- local informants with knowledge of the textile industry, family histories, and personal memories -- to contribute to our evolving understanding and appreciation of these images.