Philadelphia's historic hat factory celebrates 101 years
Tucked beneath Interstate 95 in Northeast Philadelphia, the rhythmic hum of sewing machines signals the continuation of a century-old tradition. American Hats LLC, one of the last remaining millinery factories in the United States, is celebrating its 101st anniversary under the leadership of Rev. Georgiette Morgan-Thomas.
Morgan-Thomas, who purchased the historic factory in 2015, has stitched her own legacy into the fabric of the business, which was originally the home of S&S Hat Company. Her career before millinery spanned social work, community activism, and ministry, including efforts to curb gun violence in New York City.
"I was a civil rights activist, Morgan-Thomas said. "And so I've just had a real full life."
Yet through it all, one passion remained constant: her love of hats.
"My grandmother never went anywhere without a hat. So that was the birth of the hat in my life," she said.
From a young age, Morgan-Thomas accompanied her grandmother to luncheons and teas while wearing stylish headwear. As she grew into activism, she made a statement by wearing men's fedoras, embracing a look that stood outside the norm.
"The hat has always been an accessory of empowerment," she said.
Today, her factory produces thousands of hats annually, many crafted using original early 20th-century equipment no longer manufactured. Jillian, one of American Hats' milliners, says the antique machines are still remarkably reliable.
"They actually work really well still. We have to repair them every once in a while. But they were made to last back in the 1920s and '30s," she said.
The durability of the factory's craft has garnered attention far beyond Philadelphia. American Hats' designs have appeared in high-fashion magazines, like Vogue, and traveled as far as Germany. But for Morgan-Thomas, the significance of a hat extends beyond its style.
"As an African American woman growing up in Alabama, I was taught to always look people in the eye," she said. "No matter what name someone might've called me—when I put a hat on, I am reminded to sit up straight, to walk straight, to hold my head up high."
Now, her mission is to keep American hatmaking alive. "The only way to keep it alive is if we're talking about it," she said.
And with each meticulously crafted hat, Morgan-Thomas ensures that people will keep talking.
