Interview with Joseph A. Scopa, July 24, 1986

Partial Transcript: Well what I want you to do to begin with is just tell me about your background.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa shares his negative feelings towards the community leaders.

Keywords: Anti-corporate; Corporations; Corruption; Italy; Road construction contracts; United Mine Workers Association

Subjects: Coal mines and mining; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Uh, do you remember your father and grandfather talking about working over in Virginia?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa tells of his father's working history in Virginia and how the community leaders controlled residents.

Keywords: Coal carving; Company store; Evictions; Loading coal; Police; Scrip; United Mine Workers Association

Subjects: Coal mines and mining; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: Well how--after a union organizer got into--

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa shares how the coal companies opposed the union and discusses their overall disregard for mine workers.

Keywords: Fired union supporters; Joining the union; Strikebreakers; United Mine Workers Association

Subjects: Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; United Mine Workers of America; Wages--Coal miners

Partial Transcript: Were there a lot of immigrants in Lynch, uh, in the '30s and '40s?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa continues to share his disdain towards coal companies and their power over the residents in the community.

Keywords: Italian bands; Out-migration; Parades

Subjects: Community development; Immigrants--Kentucky--Lynch

Partial Transcript: You know, you mentioned hand loading a minute ago. Could you talk about hand loading coal and, uh, did you ever hand load coal?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa explains his job within the mine and discusses what would often happen to an individual's family if he was injured or killed in the mine.

Keywords: Air; Death; Eviction; Shovel loading

Subjects: Coal mines and mining--Safety measures

Partial Transcript: Uh, you mentioned something a minute ago about, bout, uh, immigrant bands, an Italian band. Could you talk a little bit about that?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa recalls immigrant clubs and celebrations. He tells of Italian talent in stonemasonry as seen in buildings in Lynch.

Keywords: Churches; Clubs; Community celebrations; Dances; Hotels; Italian bands; Parades; Stonemasonry

Subjects: Immigrants--Kentucky--Lynch

Partial Transcript: Uh, did, did immigrants ever face discrimination from Americans who were here in this--

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa tells of discrimination many immigrants felt from Americans. He shares some of the customs of alcohol production by immigrants.

Keywords: Boardinghouses; Families; Holding grudges; Home brewing; Moonshine; Right to labor

Subjects: Immigrants--Kentucky--Lynch; Race discrimination; Wine and wine making

Partial Transcript: So it was pretty easy then for immigrants to become bosses in Lynch?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa tells of his involvement with fighting against politicians and big companies to secure rights for immigrants.

Keywords: Elections; Freedom; Labor bureaus; Rights of immigrants; Voting

Subjects: Immigrants--Kentucky--Lynch

Partial Transcript: How about education in Lynch in early days? Could you talk some about that?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa complains about the governing officials of the community and the state. He talks about what recreation people enjoyed, why the baseball league was pampered, and how the circus suffered a shootout during a strike.

Keywords: Baseball; Circus; Corruption; Education; Politics; Recreation; Voting

Subjects: Education--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Anything else you can think of that might be interesting to me that you want to talk about?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Scopa blames the coal companies and governing officials for the high unemployment in Lynch. When read a list of household tasks, he answers to who was responsible for these tasks.

Keywords: Behind on benefits; Blame; Churches; Clubs; Coal companies; Funeral homes; Governing officials; Sex roles

Subjects: Gender and society; Labor unions; Unemployment