minewar.org documenting the 1930's Illinois Mine War
“Gimme That Rifle.”
Here’s an excerpt from the audio memoirs of Jack Battuello on mine war violence. Press play to listen: [audio:http://minewaro.startlogic.com/Word_Press/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/blog_gimme_that_rifle.mp3|titles=”Gimme That Rifle.”] “I was in Taylorville on half a dozen occasions. And on those occasions we picketed. And I recall that the first time, the first time that I went to Taylorville and become among the […]
“Dare You Fail Us Now?”
The current protests in Madison, Wisconsin echo another mass demonstration in Springfield, Illinois held almost eighty years ago. On January 26, 1933, 10,000 members of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Progressive Miners of America assembled at the Illinois state capitol to protest the wanton violence in the coal fields and to demand the restoration of […]
Family History
Recently I had the good fortune to connect with Dominic “Bert” Bertinetti, Jr. His family’s connection to the Illinois Mine War is truly remarkable. Bert’s grandmother is Emma Cumerlato, a mine war martyr who was shot on her porch in Kincaid, IL on January 3, 1933. No one was ever punished for the murder. Her […]
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.