Interview with Minnie Lunsford, September 12, 1986

Partial Transcript: I wasn't scared but it was all fun.

Segment Synopsis: Minnie Lunsford talks about the Brookside Mine strike and shows some photographs to the interviewer of that time. She talks briefly about some of the people involved and mentions some of the dangers.

Keywords: Alan Short; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Guns; Highways; Houses; Older people; Photographs; Retired miners; Support; Warrants

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Well tell me about when you first went to the picket line.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford discusses how she found out about the Brookside strike and how she was convinced by her granddaughter and her husband to become involved in the strike. She talks about receiving phone calls from many of the women trying to organize the strike. She describes the first day on the picket line.

Keywords: Awareness; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Clothing; Demonstrations; Grandchildren; Granddaughters; Husbands; Involvement; Joining; Marches; Men; Older people; Pants; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Retired miners; Retired people; Strikers; Support; Willie Lunsford; Women

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Nobody--(coughs)--never shed no tears, the women didn't but they'd get so mad they didn't have time to cry about it...

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about the women bringing switches, sticks, and canes to the picket lines. She talks about laying down in the roads to block cars from getting to the mines. She talks about the gangbusters bringing in guns and talks about the murder of Lawrence Jones. She talks about other shootings during the strike. She describes a confrontation she had with a man trying to cross the picket line.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Anger; Baseball bats; Betty Eldridge; Betty Rae Eldridge; Billy C. Bruner; Bridges; Bullets; Cars; Confrontations; Dangerous; Dangers; Demonstrations; Dragging; Fathers; Funerals; Gangbusters; Glenbrook (Ky.); Glenbrook Mine; Guns; Highsplint (Ky.); Highsplint Mine; Highways; Husbands; Killed; Killing; Lawrence Jones; Laying down; Lois Scott; Mac's supermarket; Marches; Men; Mountains; Murders; Older people; Older women; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Preachers; Rallies; Rifles; Roads; Scabs; Scared; Scary; Sheriffs; Shields (Ky.); Shields Mine; Shootings; Sons; State police; Sticks; Strikers; Switches; Uniforms; Washington, D.C.; Weapons; Willie Lunsford; Women; Worried; Young people

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Law enforcement.; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: So, tell about when they arrested the women.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about when the women were arrested by the local sheriff. Some of the women brought their children with them to the jail. Lunsford and other women who had not been arrested worked to raise bail money to get the women out of jail.

Keywords: Arrested; Arrests; Bail money; Benham (Ky.); Betty Eldridge; Betty Rae Eldridge; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Checks; Children; Demonstrations; Freda Armes; Houston Elmore; Husbands; Jails; Joe Eldridge; Lee Potter; Lynch (Ky.); Marches; Men; Mothers; Norman Yarborough; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Reactions; Sheriff Billy G. Williams; Sheriffs; Strikers; Union meetings; Visiting; Warrants; Willie Lunsford

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Yeah, he'd call.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford describes her and her husband's relationships with two UMWA men, Houston Elmore and Lee Potter. She talks about her sons working for non-union mines.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Coffee; Cooking; Demonstrations; Doug Lunsford; Dwayne Bennett; Fears; Fighting; Food; Guns; Houston Elmore; Husbands; Lee Potter; Nights; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Scabs; Scared; Scary; Sons; Strikers; Threats; Visiting; Willie Lunsford

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: So you went to Washington with Betty Rae and--

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about her trip with Betty Rae Eldridge and other locals to Washington, D.C. for a hearing regarding the strike. She talks about her fear of flying, as well as a bomb threat that occurred while they were in the city.

Keywords: Afraid; Airplanes; Betty Eldridge; Betty Rae Eldridge; Bomb threats; Dorothy Johnson; Fears; Flying; Husbands; Joe Eldridge; Meetings; Men; Minard Turner; Murders; Ruby Stacy; Scared; Scary; Shootings; Shot; Washington, D.C.; White House; Willie Lunsford; Women

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Washington (D.C.); Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Uh, Minnie, were you a member of the Women's Club?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about the Brookside Women's Club and their work to raise money for miners' families, especially the children. She talks about collecting donations for Easter, Christmas, and funerals, among other activities.

Keywords: Betty Eldridge; Betty Rae Eldridge; Bills; Brookside Women's Club; Children; Christmas; Collections; Cooking; Death; Demonstrations; Donations; Easter; Expenses; Family; Finances; Flowers; Food; Goals; Houston Elmore; Husbands; Illnesses; Income; Lee Potter; Loans; Lois Scott; Medicine; Meetings; Money; Mortgages; Pay; Payments; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Planning; Prescriptions; Presents; Purpose; Rallies; Salary; Spending; Stores; Strategies; Strike pay; Strikers; Support; Union members; Wages; Work

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Uh, Minnie, had you ever been involved in a strike before?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about her participation in other strikes, including one at Highsplint, Verda, and others.

Keywords: 1933; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Children; Grandsons; Highsplint (Ky.); Machine guns; Organizers; Verda (Ky.); Verda Mine; Virginia

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Well, when, when, when Brookside was going on, was it just you and Willie here in the house?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford describes her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She describes in great detail the last day of her husband's life before his death due to black lung and pneumonia.

Keywords: Barbara Jean Lunsford; Black lung; Blood; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Children; Clothes; Coughing; Daughters; Death; Doctors; Doug Lunsford; Eating; Evarts (Ky.); Family; Grandchildren; Hospitals; Husbands; Illnesses; Jackets; Joy Fay Lunsford; Junior Lunsford; Married; Mary Ellen Lunsford; Pneumonia; Stepsons; Talking; Willie Lunsford; Willie Lunsford, Jr.

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal mine accidents; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Well, we've never had no bad trouble in the family or nothing.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford describes her childhood, her love for the outdoors, growing up on a farm, and her education.

Keywords: Briceville (Tenn.); Brothers; Cars; Chores; Family; Farming; Fathers; Gardens; Homeschooling; Household management; Housekeeping; Houses; Housework; Illnesses; Outdoors; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Poor; Safety; Schoolhouses; Schools; Strikers; Survival; Tennessee; Virginia; Walking; Workload

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Childhood; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Country life; Education; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Poverty; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Rural children; Rural conditions; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Well now, when did you and Willie come here to Dartmont?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about the house she and her husband bought in Dartmont, Kentucky. She talks about their well, the furnace, and appliances. She talks about her husband's insistence on always buying union coal.

Keywords: "Scab coal"; Appliances; Black lung; Buying; Coal; Dartmont (Ky.); Dryers; Dug wells; Expenses; Finances; Freezers; Furnaces; Glenbrook Mine; Heaters; Houses; Income; Loans; Mortgages; Murders; Oil; Pay; Payments; Pensions; Rent; Salary; Social security; Spending; Stoves; Summers; Wages; Washers; Water wells; Work

Subjects: Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Communities.; Dwellings.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Housing, Rural; Housing.; Technological innovations; United Mine Workers of America

Partial Transcript: See, now what I've been going to the doctor with--about, it's my blood.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about some of the health issues she is currently experiencing.

Keywords: Blood circulation; Cataracts; Doctors; Dr. Eubank; Eyes; Health problems; Heart attacks; Hernias; Hospitals; Medication; Medicine; Operations; Surgery

Subjects: Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Medical care; Rural health--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Well Minnie, what do you miss the most about the picket line and being on strike?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks briefly about some of the people involved in the Brookside strike before the recording stops. When the recording resumes, Lunsford talks about her warning to her sons about working in non-union mines. She talks about her son who was injured working in a coal mine.

Keywords: "Goat"; "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Advice; Bosses; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Busy; Demonstrations; Doug Lunsford; Friends; Houston Elmore; Husbands; Injuries; Jobs; Lee Potter; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Scabs; Strikers; Union mines; Visiting; Warnings; Willie Lunsford; Work

Subjects: Coal mine accidents; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Well, so you got your, um, um, souvenir from the strike up on the wall in the living room, right?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford tells a story about hitting a man with her cane on the picket line and talks about the women being harassed while on strike. She talks about why she was in support of the union, and also discusses why some people in town were against the union or at least would not join the strike. She talks more about her family members who worked at non-union mines.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Afraid; Age; Ageism; Benefits; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Canes; Caravel Mine; Daughters; Demonstrations; Fears; Fun; Harassment; Hitting; Houston Elmore; Husbands; Income; Leadership; Lee Potter; Lynch (Ky.); Marches; Mary Ellen Lunsford; Memory; Money; Name calling; Neighbors; Peabody Mine; Pensions; Perceptions; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Salary; Scabs; Scared; Scary; Son-in-laws; Sticks; Strikers; Tennessee; Wages; Willie Lunsford; Wives

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Safety measures; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Mine safety; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Willie Lunsford. January 21st, 1980.

Segment Synopsis: The interviewer reads a poem written in memory of Minnie's husband, Willie, and Minnie discusses his funeral. She talks about her sister, her sons, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren.

Keywords: Army; Death; Funerals; Grandchildren; Great-grandchildren; Hobert Grills; Husbands; Joy Faye Short; Pensions; Photographs; Poems; Singing; Sisters; Sons; Willie Lunsford

Subjects: Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Okay Minnie, now tell me that story that you said.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford says that she would like to have coal put on her grave when she dies. She talks about collecting donations for the union and the strike, and talks more about her insistence on only buying union coal.

Keywords: Death; Donations; Graves; Lewis Bianchi; Lois Scott; Money; Scab coal; UMW buttons; Union coal

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Well, um, Minnie, tell me about the newspaper in Harlan.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford says that the local newspaper, the Harlan Daily Enterprise, did not accurately cover the strike. She talks about picketing outside the courthouse. She briefly discusses the women's impact on the strike.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Bessie Cornett; Bessie Lou Scott; Bessie Mills; Biased; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Censorship; Courthouses; Demonstrations; Disabled; Effects; Harlan Daily Enterprise; Husbands; Impact; Lois Scott; Marches; News coverage; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Rally; Scabs; Strikers; Support; Truth; Walking sticks; Willie Lunsford; Wives

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Mass media--Political aspects; Newspapers.; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Um, Minnie, tell me about if you ever worked outside of the home.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about some of the jobs she worked outside of the home, including babysitting, housework, cleaning apartments, and working at the bus terminal. She talks about why she left each of these jobs and talks about her husband's opinion of her work.

Keywords: Afraid; Alcohol; Attitudes; Babysitting; Bus terminals; Bus tickets; Cleaning; Commissary; Domestic work; Dope; Drinking; Drugs; Gardens; Helping; Housework; Husbands; Jobs; Mayor Fair Anna Creech; Mayors; Mrs. Dwayne Bennett; Neighbors; Outdoors; Outside; Rough; Scared; Schedules; Willie Lunsford; Work

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Coal miners' spouses; Communities.; Employment--Kentucky; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Occupations.; Women--Employment.

Partial Transcript: Well, let me ask you about, um, the strike again a little bit.

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford goes into more detail on how she became involved in the strike through her neighbor Betty Rae Eldridge. She talks about her relationships with the other women involved. She talks about which of her neighbors did and did not participate in the strike.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Awareness; Betty Eldridge; Betty Rae Eldridge; Bill Doan; Court orders; Crowds; Demonstrations; Husbands; Length; Lois Scott; Marches; Men; Neighbors; Older people; Pensioners; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Relationships; Scabs; Sheila Doan; Strikers; Support; Time; Willie Lunsford; Women; Younger people

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Now you, uh, you testified when they had that big panel come in here?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks briefly about testifying at the citizens' public inquiry on the strike.

Keywords: 1932; Citizens' public inquiry; Food; Great Depression; Multipurpose centers; Panels; Testifying; Testimony; Washington, D.C.

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Depressions--1929--Kentucky; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Washington (D.C.); Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: And they--(coughs)--the, the men would say, "Well, we'll be here, till the end of time..."

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about why the women began participating in the strike. She talks about trying to convince other women to join the strike and tells the story of a particular woman whose husband was against her participation. She says that the strike caused a few families to separate.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Afraid; Attitudes; Betty Eldridge; Betty Rae Eldridge; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Brookside Women's Club; Coaxing; Convincing; Demonstrations; Divorce; Highsplint (Ky.); Husbands; Involvement; Jealousy; Jobs; Learning; Lois Scott; Marches; Men; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Relationships; Scabs; Scared; Scary; Shootings; Strikers; Wives; Women; Work

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Violence; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Well, um, were there things about the Women's Club that you really liked?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford describes an argument between Betty Rae Eldridge and Lois Scott which led to the dissolution of the Brookside Women's Club. She says that although the club disbanded, all of the women still participated in the strike together. She talks about transportation to the picket line. She talks about the leadership of both the Brookside Women's Club and the Black Lung Association.

Keywords: Arguments; Betty Eldridge; Betty Rae Eldridge; Black Lung Association; Black lung; Breakups; Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Brookside Women's Club; Brookside Women's Club presidents; Cars; Children; Demonstrations; Differences; Disagreements; Driving; Elections; Enjoyment; Evarts (Ky.); Family; Flowers; Friends; Funerals; Highsplint (Ky.); Husbands; Joe Eldridge; Leadership; Leaving; Lois Scott; Marches; Membership; Miners' families; Neighbors; Otis King; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Plans; Positions; Preachers; Purpose; Quitting; Rallies; Relationships; Strikers; Sudie Crusenberry; Transportation; Voting; Willie Lunsford; Younger people

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement

Partial Transcript: Did, uh, did Willie like to do stuff around the house?

Segment Synopsis: Lunsford talks about her husband's sole focus on coal mining. She talks about his participation in the union and the benefits he received after becoming disabled. She talks about her husband's trips to town and his generosity towards others. She talks more about her sons' work at non-union mines. She mentions when and where she was born. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: "Scabs" (strikebreakers); Assistance; Bills; Birthdates; Black lung; Briceville (Tenn.); Brookside Mine; Brookside Mine Strike; Brookside Strike; Careers; Children; Coal; Demonstrations; Disability; Dreaming; Duties; Evarts (Ky.); Expenses; Family; Finances; Food; Groceries; Helping; House repairs; Houses; Husbands; Income; Injuries; Jobs; Loading coal; Loans; Marches; Married; Mortgages; Mothers; Moving; Pay; Paying bills; Payments; Pensions; Personality; Picket lines; Picketers; Pickets; Rallies; Retired; Salary; Scabs; Sons; Spending; Stores; Strike pay; Strikers; Talking; Towns; Union dues; Wages; Willie Lunsford; Work

Subjects: Coal Miners' Strike, Harlan County, Ky., 1973.; Coal mine accidents; Coal miners' spouses; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Safety measures; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Labor unions--Strike benefits; Mine safety; Picketing.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky; Strikes and lockouts--Miners; United Mine Workers of America; Women in the labor movement