Interview with Ann Tiabian, Pete Tiabian, June 27, 1986

Partial Transcript: Could you, uh, begin by telling me about yourself a little bit and, uh, your background; family.

Segment Synopsis: Ann and Pete Tiabian share their immigrant background and their experiences with coal miners.

Keywords: Boardinghouses; Coal mines; Detroit (Mich); English language; Ford Motor Company; Lynch (Ky); Poland; Russia; Yugoslavia

Subjects: Coal miners; Emigration and immigration.; Families; Immigrants

Partial Transcript: Uh, what kind of people were they?

Segment Synopsis: Ann Tiabian talks about living with immigrant parents and near other immigrants.

Keywords: "Old country"; Coal camps; Community awareness; Cooking; Crocheting; Native culture; Neighborly attitudes; Potato cakes; Soups; Vegetable gardening

Subjects: Immigrants

Partial Transcript: Uh, what kinds of things did you do for recreation when you were growing up?

Segment Synopsis: The interviewees talk about immigrants sharing musical talents during community and personal celebrations. They discuss what many people did for recreation in those days.

Keywords: Automobiles; Dances; Family celebrations; Motion pictures; Movies; Musical instruments; Musicians

Subjects: Recreation

Partial Transcript: Okay, could you talk about the town of Lynch itself?

Segment Synopsis: The interviewees talk about how the company store often took advantage of people. They discuss whether immigrants were members of lodges or clubs.

Keywords: "16 Tons"; Church; Dances; Immigrant clubs; Locomotives; Lodges; Money; Over cut; Scrip; Tennessee Ernie Ford

Subjects: Company stores

Partial Transcript: You were talking a minute ago about the lodges.

Segment Synopsis: The interviewees talk more about immigrant entertainment. They discuss immigrants' religious practices.

Keywords: Card games, Poker; Catholic churches; Pinochle; Russian churches

Subjects: Recreation; Religion

Partial Transcript: How about schools? Could you talk about schools some?

Segment Synopsis: Ann Tibian recalls memories of her school days in Lynch, Kentucky.

Keywords: Discipline; Elementary schools; English language; Grades; High schools; Schoolhouses

Subjects: Education; Lynch (Ky.); Schools

Partial Transcript: Do you remember when the union first came into this area?

Segment Synopsis: Pete Tiabian shares his experience with the UMWA and the strike in 1939.

Keywords: Gender roles; Higher wages

Subjects: Employee fringe benefits; Sex Roles; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Well could you tell me what kind of work you did in the mines?

Segment Synopsis: Pete Tiabian shares his experiences of working in the mines. He talks about the relationships between neighbors in the town. He discusses the effects of Prohibition in the coal camps.

Keywords: Bootlegging; Dandelion wine; Home brewing; Immigrant foremen; Immigrant socialization; Loading coal; Neighborly relationships; Whiskey

Subjects: Coal mines and mining; Distilling, Illicit; Prohibition; Wine and wine making

Partial Transcript: Could you talk about people getting set out of their houses?

Segment Synopsis: Ann and Pete Tiabian discuss some of the hardships of immigrant life.

Keywords: Citizenship papers; Coal camps; Eviction; Harlan County (Ky.); Racial slurs; Resentment; Voting

Subjects: Citizenship; Discrimination.; Immigrants; Politics