minewar.org documenting the 1930's Illinois Mine War
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Cherry Mine Disaster at the Abraham Lincoln Library
Here’s part one of a ten-part YouTube video series on the 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster. This panel discussion was hosted by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on January 26, 2010. The tragedy resulted in the loss of 259 lives. And as is often the case, those deaths provided the necessary impetus for new […]
Road To Hell
This past week marks the 78th anniversary of the events which incited the Illinois Mine War. United Mine Workers District 12 had been on strike in Illinois since April, 1932. On August 6, 1932, a referendum was held to determine whether its members would accept the coal operators proposal – a decline in wages from […]
Bombing Target
Formerly owned by Leal Reese, this home was bombed on July 23, 1933. Here’s an article from July 25 edition of the NY Times on the bombing.
“It Was A Night To Remember.”
The Colonial Theater in Gillespie, IL was often used as a community meeting hall when large numbers needed to assemble. During the UMWA strike in the spring of 1932, UMWA District 12 President, John Walker came to Gillespie to argue for the wage reductions supported by John L. Lewis and the mine owners. Western Illinois […]
Superior #4 ~ Wilsonville
Here’s a photo of Superior #4 in Wilsonville, IL. This was the site of the famous Wilsonville Sitdown Strike. Click here to learn more about the strike and to see a contemporary photo of the site. Photo provided courtesy of Wayne Hinton
Superior #4 ~ Wilsonville
Here’s a photo of Superior #4 in Wilsonville, IL. This was the site of the famous Wilsonville Sitdown Strike. Click here to learn more about the strike and to see a contemporary photo of the site. (photo courtesy of Wayne Hinton)
Hand Crafted From Coal
John L. Lewis, President of the United Mine Workers of America from 1920 – 1960 is still revered among many retired coal miners. This Lewis bust was sculpted from a lump of coal by Mid-West Crafts in Pikeville, KY. It was provided courtesy of the Christian County Coal Mine Museum.
Yesterday and Today
Two views of the Staunton Labor Temple.The first was taken in the early 1930’s and the other photograph was made this spring. Nice to see a labor hub regarded as postcard-worthy in its day. At the same time, it’s difficult to see that happening today. Staunton was also the launching point for the Mulkeytown March. […]
Mill Shadows: “Organize our strength as a working class.”
Initially, an important part of the Progressive Miners’ program was to raise the class consciousness of its members and the broader community. Tom Tippett, formally of the Brookwood Labor College was hired to head the PMA’s first Education Department. In a letter to the membership and auxiliaries Tippet wrote; “Our notion of an education activity […]
Falling Backwards
“It was not unusual for the mine executive to come to the mine and conduct an investigation if a mule was injured or killed. But no such investigation ever took place when a miner was killed.” ~ Jack Battuello describes 1920’s mining conditions in Illinois. Labor unions are commonly considered in a narrow light; organizations […]
“To Our Militant Leader…From Militant Admirers”
I had the great fortune to interview Sean Burns this week. Sean is a descendant of Agnes Burns Wieck, the first president of the Illinois Women’s Auxiliary of the Progressive Miners of America. Agnes was a legendary organizer, gifted leader and political visionary. In addition to providing a thoughtful and heart-felt interview, Sean was kind […]
Mine War Site – Mine “B”
In the 1930’s, Mine “B” was owned by Carl Elshoff, and was organized by the Progressive Miners following their split from the UMWA. The Progressives later struck the mine after the UMWA attempted to assert control over the labor force. FBI records indicate that John L. Lewis provided funds to Elshoff to help him break […]
Pressure From Below
When considering the political fallout of the Great Depression, one might wonder why the U.S. moved leftward, enacting a number of social and economic reforms. In Europe for example, the economic crisis provided an opportunity for fascist parties to win control in Germany and Italy. One reason was there was considerable organized resistance from […]
In Memorium ~ Evanell Williams (1925-2009)
Last week I was saddened to learn that Evanell Williams died on Christmas Eve, 2009. I had the good fortune to meet her late last summer when I conducted an interview with her husband, Ben for this project. (His father was a member of the United Mine Workers during the Mine War. Ben is a […]
Book Review ~ Reckoning At Eagle Creek
In Jeff Biggers’ new book, Reckoning At Eagle Creek: The Secret Legacy of Coal In The Heartland, he quotes a friend: “The abuse of the land is always connected to the abuse of the people.” This theme resonates throughout as Biggers entwines family history with industrial, labor, native and environmental histories of Southern Illinois. […]
Who Sees Dead People?
Earlier I wrote about Blair Mountain, West Virginia, its historical importance, and the effort to preserve it. (here & here.) Recently Jeff Biggers offered an updateon the bizarre actions of the West Virginia Historic Preservation Office. Biggers reports: “On December 30, 2009, the historic Blair Mountain Battlefield was removed from the National Register by the […]
From the Mt. Olive Public Library
Here’s an image from the collection of the Mt. Olive, IL Public Library. Mt. Olive is also the home of the Union Miners Cemetery, the final resting place of Mother Jones. PMA Local 35, led by Joe Ozanic spearheaded the effort to erect the Mother Jones Monument which was dedicated October 11, 1936. Thanks to […]
Christmas Eve, 1932 ~ Tragedy in Moweaqua
Coal mining was an extremely hazardous job in the U.S. during the first half of the 20th century. The Christmas holiday marked a dark day for Illinois mining in 1932. On the morning of Christmas Eve, an underground methane gas explosion took the lives of 54 miners. The Moweaqua Mine was among those newly organized […]
Freeman United Coal Company Accused of Repeated Clean Water Act Violations
Here’s a link to an article by Jeff Biggers at Huffington Post on the effort of central Illinois environmentalists to hold Freemen United Coal Company accountable for violations of the Clean Water Act. According to the article, whether or not the company is responsible for the mess isn’t in question. The Heart of Illinois Group […]
The BBC Reports on Clean Coal
Here’s the link to a new report from the BBC – Clean Coal: Fool’s Gold or the Bright Future? The story raises a number of important issues. First, the costs to implement carbon capture may make coal prohibitively expensive – that is if it works. Further, industry representatives and Energy Department acknowledge that widespread use […]
Mine War Site ~ Superior No. 4
Former site of Superior Mine No. 4 in Wilsonville, IL. On May 21, 1937, 540 PMA miners called an underground sit-down strike. The week-long strike was called to protect “share of time” provisions. The striking miners demanded the right to protect one another from the loss of jobs caused by mechanization. If full-time workers could […]
From The National Archives
Image taken from 1937 federal court records at the National Archives in Chicago. 34 members of the Progressive Miners and 2 others were convicted of interfering with the U.S. mail and conspiracy to violate the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
In These Times Highlights Mine War Project
Writing for the In These Times blog, Working, contributing editor Kari Lyderson was kind enough to highlight this project. After you read the post, don’t forget to check out Kari’s latest book, Revolt On Goose Island. The book documents the successful struggle of UE members employed by Republic Windows and Doors to win a settlement […]
Cherry Mine Centennial Commemoration
On November 13, 1909, a fire broke out at the Cherry Mine in northern Illinois. Of the 450 miners working underground, 259 men and boys succumbed to flames and smoke. The labor force was predominantly composed of immigrant workers. As with most industrial accidents, the Cherry Mine disaster was avoidable. The calamity inspired public outrage, […]