Interview with Edith Easterling, Jake Easterling, August 22, 1987

Partial Transcript: When did you start working in the mines, Jake?

Segment Synopsis: Jake Easterling talks about when he began working in coal mines at age 15. He talks about some of the people he worked with, the mines he worked at, and the safety and working conditions in the mines.

Keywords: 1932; Allied Chemical & Dye; Carter County (Ky.); Clay dust; Conditions; Coworkers; Edgewater Mine; Farms; Fathers; Fire brick; Henry Clay Mine; Loading coal; Miners' pensions; Payment; Roy Hawkins; Semet-Solvay; Shoveling coal; Wages

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Childhood; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Occupations.

Partial Transcript: So what was--what were the conditions like at Henry Clay when you started there?

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about the safety conditions at the Henry Clay Mine. He talks about some of the injuries he experienced. He talks about how the union affected the mines.

Keywords: Bosses; Company; Fingers; Harlan County (Ky.); Henry Clay Mine; Injuries; Learning; Mashed; Mine cars; Mine inspectors; Pressure; Setting timbers; Shutdown; Standing water; Unaware; Unsafe; Working conditions

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal mine accidents; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Coal mines and mining--Safety measures.; Coal mines and mining--Safety regulations; Occupations.

Partial Transcript: Well now--(cough)--when did--do you remember when the union came in here and, and organized this area?

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about the beginning of the union organizing at Henry Clay. He talks about the murder of Perry Adkins and the shooting of Avery Hill. He talks about the National Guard being sent in after the shooting.

Keywords: 1930s; 1944; Avery Hill; Awareness; Death; Drinking; Guns; Henry Clay Mine; Mine guards; National Guard; Payment; Perry Adkins; Rumors; Semet-Solvay; Shooting; Shutdown; Striking; Thugs; Trouble

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: Um, well, okay, so let's see.

Segment Synopsis: Edith Easterling talks about her memories of the union organizing during her childhood. She talks about her family's involvement in the organizing. She talks about the dangers surrounding the organizing. She talks more about Perry Adkins' murder, his funeral, and his family.

Keywords: "Rednecks"; "Yellowdogs"; 1930s; Blacklisted; Brother-in-law; Brothers; Buster Ratliff; Cheated; Childhood; Children; Company; Company stores; Donations; Drinking; Families; Fathers; Finances; Funerals; Grudges; Gun thugs; Hard times; Harlan County (Ky.); Jenkins (Ky.); Jobs; Killed; Lights; Murder; Pay; Perry Adkins; Personality; Relationships; Sad; Scared; Sharing; Shooting; Shutdown; Sisters; Social Security; Support; Union meetings; Union organizers; Widows; Wives; Young men

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Childhood; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: Did you ever--what did your dad ever say about why he was against the union?

Segment Synopsis: Edith Easterling talks about why she thinks her father was against the union. She talks about her family's attitudes about wealth and sharing with others, and talks about how her own views differ.

Keywords: Alcoholism; Attitudes; Bosses; Civil War; Cures; Death; Drinking; Family; Fathers; Grandfathers; Grandmothers; Greedy; Kicked out; Medicine; Money; Mothers; Positions; Pregnant; Sharing; Stepmothers; Understanding; Union contracts

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Childhood; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Families.; Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: But, uh, when--I can remember that when--after Henry Clay shut down and my father went to West Virginia to work...

Segment Synopsis: Edith Easterling talks about people moving away from the area when the mines shut down in 1938. The Easterlings talk about the secret meetings that began happening to attempt to unionize the mine.

Keywords: 1938; Awareness; Company; District 30; Edgel Hutchinson; Firing; Greenough Mine; Injury; Moving; Sam Caddy; Scared; Secrets; Shooting; Shutdown; Spying; Union meetings; World War II

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: Law, people lived hard.

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about hard times and poverty in the area. Edith talks more about her family's views on sharing wealth.

Keywords: Attitudes; Cows; Family; Fathers; Gardens; Grandmothers; Hard times; Hungry; Lard; Sharing; Shoes

Subjects: Families.; Poverty--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: So did the company, uh, officials like from Semet-Solvay and, uh, so forth, did they come in here to visit or did you ever see the company people come in?

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about company officials visiting the area. They say the officials were only interested in moonshine and drinking. Edith tells a humorous story about her friend hosting the visiting officials.

Keywords: Alcohol; Boss town; Charlie Scott; Company officials; Cooking; Dirty diapers; Drinking; Drunk; Island Creek (Ky.); Mine owners; Moonshine; New York; Pikeville (Ky.); Plates; Representatives; Sisters; Visits

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Occupations.

Partial Transcript: So was there a lot of difference between the houses and the living conditions in--

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings discuss the differences between bosses and the workers at the mines. They talk about how the living conditions differed for each group. They talk about the economic conditions for the miners and their families. Edith talks more about how her views on wealth differ from her family.

Keywords: Attitudes; Awareness; Boss town; Bosses; Childhood; Children; Coal camps; Differences; Economic classes; Effects; Family; Fathers; Fights; Finances; Grandfathers; Grandmothers; Henry Clay Mine; Houses; Income; Influences; Intermingling; Jealousy; Living conditions; Money; Payment; Pensions; Plumbing; Refrigerators; Running water; Section bosses; Superintendents; Wages; Washing machines; Workers; Working class; Working men

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Families.; Occupations.; Poverty--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: Uh, I know like at Christmas I'd, I'd have the other--the children's parents to even ask me, "Now what are you getting Sue Ella?"

Segment Synopsis: Edith Easterling talks about how she raised her children with no consideration for gender roles and how the community reacted.

Keywords: Bridges; Colleges; Equality; Gender roles; Grandmothers; Jobs; Leadership; Learning; Men; Organizing; Self-sufficient; Teaching; Women

Subjects: Child rearing; Children--Kentucky; Families.

Partial Transcript: Did they have at that time Jake what they call--you know, where you had to clean your cut?

Segment Synopsis: Jake Easterling talks more about his duties and pay at the coal mines. The Easterlings talk about strip mining destroying the area and how people have protested against it.

Keywords: Attitudes; Caring; Clean up; Coal operators; Destruction; Homeland; Hours; Jealousy; Jobs; Money; Personal; Protests; Sad; Secrets; Truck mines; Work schedules

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Occupations.; Strip mining

Partial Transcript: What is the sort of the state of things here in terms of people, uh, being--do you think that people are, are sort of inclined to stay together or, or to organize now?

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about how community attitudes have changed and whether people are interested in unions today. Edith Easterling talks about some of the work she has done in the area of protesting.

Keywords: 1967; 1970; 1971; Attitudes; Benefits; Berea (Ky.); Black lung; Board of education; Cars; Cesar Chavez; Co-ops; Cooperatives; Eula Hall; Ford Fellowships; Hospital strikes; Kindergartens; Meetings; Proposals; Run over; Strip mining; Support; Travel; Violence

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: So how did people around here react to all the, uh, business, you know, about them taking you into court?

Segment Synopsis: Edith Easterling talks about being accused of communism. She talks about others in the area who were also accused, including Joe and Karen Mulloy, Carl and Ann Braden, and Al and Margaret McSurely. She talks in detail about the trials and their outcomes. She talks about those accused being harassed and threatened.

Keywords: Accusations; Al McSurely; Anne Braden; Appalachian Volunteers; Arrested; Arrests; Books; Calm; Carl Braden; Catch-22 (Book); Courts; Dan Jack Combs; Dynamite; Effects; Elections; Explosions; Governor Bert T. Combs; Governor Louie B. Nunn; Grand jury; Harassment; Houses; Indictment; Jails; Joe Mulloy; Karen Mulloy; Lawyers; Leaving; Mad; Margaret McSurely; Name-calling; Old Regular Baptist Church; Payment; Posters; Prosecuting attorneys; Racial slurs; Raids; Reactions; Reparations; Scared; Telephone calls; Testifying; Threats; Warrants; Washington, D.C.

Subjects: African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions; Communism; Communists; Communities.; Law enforcement.; Lawyers--Kentucky; Political activists.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; United States--Trials, litigation, etc.; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: How did you first learn about the Council of the Southern Mountains?

Segment Synopsis: Edith Easterling talks about how she heard about the Appalachian Volunteers through her daughter who was in college. She talks about the attitudes of other local people regarding the Appalachian Volunteers and tells a story about trying to arrange a trip to Frankfort for local people who had never been. Someone in town was against her idea because they thought the impoverished local people would make a bad impression on the people in Frankfort.

Keywords: Appalachian Volunteers; Attitudes; Blacklisted; Buses; Children; Clothes; Council of the Southern Mountains; Daughters; Frankfort (Ky.); Jobs; Morehead College; Poor; Schoolhouses; Students

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachian Volunteers, Inc.; Communities.; Country life; Political activists.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Protest and social movements; Rural children; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: Are you still registered Republican?

Segment Synopsis: Edith Easterling talks about her family's political views as well as her own. She talks about local lawyer and politician G. Tom Hawkins. She talks more about accusations of communism in the area.

Keywords: 1966; Al McSurely; Arrested; Arrests; Children; Colleges; Courthouses; Daughters; Democrats; Fathers; G. Tom Hawkins; Grover Adkins; Henry Clay Mine; Home economics; Jails; Lawyers; Magistrates; Marches; Margaret McSurely; Muddy; Orders; Pickets; Republicans; School boards; School taxes; Sue Ella Easterling; Teachers; Unions; Voter registration; Voting

Subjects: Communism; Communists; Communities.; Kentucky--Politics and government; Law enforcement.; Lawyers--Kentucky; Political activists.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; United States--Trials, litigation, etc.

Partial Transcript: Tell me how the black lung, uh, movement or--got started.

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about fighting for black lung benefits. They talk about their involvement with the Poor People's Organization. Edith talks about sending a mule to Governor Louie Nunn as a response to his comments about welfare recipients. She talks about some of the protests she was involved in.

Keywords: Benefits; Berea (Ky.); Black lung; Brown lung; Compensation; Confidence; Council of the Southern Mountains; Dan Jack Combs; Demands; Food; Frankfort (Ky.); Governor Louie B. Nunn; Governors; Highlander Folk School; Highlander Research and Education Center; Laws; Lawyers; Legislation; Meetings; Mules; Organizing; Picketing; Political campaigning; Political campaigns; Poor People's Organization; President Richard M. Nixon; Protesting; Racehorses; Social Security Office; Support; Wars; Welfare recipients; Winning; Working conditions

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachian Volunteers, Inc.; Communities.; Country life; Families.; Political activists.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Protest and social movements; Rural children; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: When we had a--we had a lawsuit with Jack Deskins and we had to go to Frankfort.

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk more about strip mining in the area and the destruction it caused. She talks about the mistreatment of the poor in the area.

Keywords: Angry; Attitudes; Carbide; Cheating; Courts; Drugstores; Fathers; Jack Deskins; Jobs; Land; Minnie Childers; Mistreatment; Older woman; Payment; Poor; Property; Signing; Thomas Ratliff; Toilets; Treatment

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Occupations.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strip mining

Partial Transcript: So you knew Thomas then from way back.

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about local politician Thomas Ratliff and his attitude toward the Appalachian Volunteers. She talks more about the accusations of communism in the area.

Keywords: Al McSurely; Angry; Attitudes; Books; Chairwoman; Colleges; Elections; Governor Louie B. Nunn; Lieutenant governors; Organized labor; Pikeville College; Political campaigns; Republicans; Strikes; Thomas Ratliff; Treatment; Unions; Vietnam War; Wages; Women

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachian Volunteers, Inc.; Communism; Communists; Communities.; Country life; Kentucky--Politics and government; Law enforcement.; Lawyers--Kentucky; Political activists.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: Uh, when, uh--well, you know they took me to, they took me to court.

Segment Synopsis: Edith Easterling talks about being targeted by Governor Louie Nunn and going to trial for un-American activities. She discusses the political situation surrounding the water and sewer system in the area that led to her being accused. She talks about the testimony that she gave, her lawyer Dan Jack Combs, and why all of the charges against her were dismissed.

Keywords: Appropriated; Attorneys; College campuses; Colleges; Control; Courts; Dan Jack Combs; Dismissal of all charges; Governor Louie B. Nunn; Governors; Grants; Harassment; Investigations; Jim Hamilton; Judge Bill Pauley; Lack of evidence; Marrowbone (Ky.); Money; Perry Justice; Records; Red dresses; Secret meetings; Secrets; Sewers; Sheriffs; Spending; Subpoenas; Testimony; Un-American activity; Water

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachian Volunteers, Inc.; Communism; Communists; Communities.; Country life; Kentucky--Politics and government; Law enforcement.; Lawyers--Kentucky; Political activists.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Rural conditions; United States--Trials, litigation, etc.

Partial Transcript: --came up. Like we lived up here on the hill and the water was--and the road...

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about a flood in the area and the damage it caused.

Keywords: Buck Ratliff; Creeks; Logs; Roads; Thomas Ratliff; Water

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Flood damage; Floods--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: L, l, lot of the labor trouble over there in Harlan at that time?

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings discuss the dangers involved with joining the union and attempting to unionize the local mines. Edith talks about being kicked out of mining camps, secret meetings by the unionizers, and the fighting and shooting that happened between the two sides. She talks more about the murder of Perry Adkins and talks about his role in the group attempting to unionize the mines. She says that he was not really a leader, just a troublemaker. She talks about who she saw as the leaders of the organizers.

Keywords: "Hellraisers"; "Rednecks"; "Yellowdogs"; African American miners; Attitudes; Avery Hill; Bill Davis; Black miners; Buck Ratliff; Childhood; Children; Coal camps; Coworkers; Dangerous; Dangers; Edgel Hutchinson; Family; Fathers; Fighting; Fights; Fired; Guns; Henry Clay Mine; Jobs; Kicked out; Killing; Labor trouble; Leadership; Lonzo Johnson; Meetings; Murder; Perry Adkins; Personality; Ralph Hawkins; Rough; Scared; Shooting; Shot; Sisters; Spotlights; Tempers; Troublemakers; Violence; Walker Rose; Wife; Wives

Subjects: Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Families.; Harlan (Ky.); Harlan County (Ky.); Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: So did your, did your grandma can and quilt and all that?

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings briefly talk about food preservation in the past.

Keywords: Barrels; Crafts; Food preservation; Grandmothers; Jelly; Kraut; Quilting; Sulphur apples

Subjects: Canning and preserving; Families.; Food habits; Food--Preservation

Partial Transcript: Uh, what age was you when you moved to Lexington?

Segment Synopsis: The interviewer discusses her research for her thesis on the unionization of Henry Clay and other mines in the area. She talks about some of the people she has interviewed and the difficulty of finding the truth in the situation.

Keywords: Childhood; Coal company; Confirmation; Edgel Adkins; Facts; Family history; Fathers; Henry Clay Mine; Hitlists; Illiteracy; Intelligence; Interviews; Killed; Martyrs; Memories; Memory; Mine guards; Nellie Adkins; Nellie Gibson; Perry Adkins; Personality; Reasoning; Reasons; Reliability; Semet-Solvay; Strikers; Supporters; Truth; Union mines; University of Kentucky; Victor Gibson; Workers; Writing

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Lexington (Ky.); Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: Well, let me ask you this: do you remember Tom Rainey?

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about the mines closing in 1938 and then reopening during World War II. They talk more about Perry Adkins' murder and discuss who may have witnessed it. They talk about the National Guard being sent in after the shooting to arrest the miners. They talk about the men who were accused of the murder, their trial, and the verdict. Jake Easterling talks about observing the trial.

Keywords: "Yellowdogs"; 1938; Arrests; Attorneys; Avery Hill; Biases; Closing; Courthouses; Courtrooms; Courts; Deputy sheriffs; Drinking; Edgel Hutchinson; Fairness; Fred Roe; Funerals; Guns; Harlan County (Ky.); Henry Clay Mine; Indictments; Judges; Kermit Bowling; Killed; Marvin Williamson; Murder; National Guard; National Labor Relations Board; Perry Adkins; Pikeville (Ky.); Prosecutors; Shootings; Summons; Testimony; Tom Rainey; Troops; Verdicts; Vernon Sanders; Witnesses; World War II

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining; United States--Trials, litigation, etc.

Partial Transcript: So was Henry Clay the first mine on Marrowbone to get--to have union trouble?

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about the mines that are currently open, whether they are unionized, and the working conditions at the mines. They talk about how the owners of small mines get away with paying their workers very little. They talk about a mine owned by Oral Roberts.

Keywords: Bethlehem Mine; Coal operators; Greenough Mine; Henry Clay Mine; Jobs; Marrowbone (Ky.); Mine owners; Mining companies; Non-union mines; Oral Roberts; Payment; Roberts Coal Company; Shut down; Trouble; Truck mines; Unemployment; Unionized; Wages; Work

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Occupations.; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: So how many--(cough)--years did you, did you work in the mines?

Segment Synopsis: Jake Easterling talks more about his career as a miner, his wages, and buying things from the company store. He talks about the conditions in the mines.

Keywords: Careers; Children; Clay mines; Cost; Dungarees; Enjoyment; Herman Hawkins; Jobs; Pants; Payment; Pensions; Sons; Stores; Treatment; Wages; Work; Working conditions

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Occupations.

Partial Transcript: So has Marrowbone changed a lot?

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk about how the Marrowbone area has changed throughout their lives. They talk about people leaving due to a lack of jobs. They talk about how others have no interest in leaving, even if their lives could be better elsewhere. They talk about people selling their mineral rights, and how people used to farm but do not anymore.

Keywords: Boom; Bust; Cash; Changes; Coal business; Contracts; Daytona (Fla.); Deals; Deeds; Downtown; Elites; Employment; Farming; Fathers; Jobs; Leaving; Marrowbone (Ky.); Mineral rights; Money; Moving; Outmigration; Paychecks; Payday; Poor Bottom (Ky.); Rich; Rough; Selling; Sons; Stores; Traffic; Work

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Communities.; Country life; Employment--Kentucky; Occupations.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: Now when I come to Henry Clay, they was only paying $2.96 for a shift's work. Ten hours.

Segment Synopsis: The Easterlings talk more about miners' low wages and lack of health insurance. They talk about the difficult economic conditions in the area and how people survive. They talk more about how owners of small mines get away with paying their workers so little. They talk about how unions could help the workers. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Affordability; Awareness; Closing; Coal companies; Cost; Divorce; Education; Families; Food stamps; Health insurance; Henry Clay Mine; Hospitalization; Information; Jobs; Leadership; Malls; Mine owners; Money; Payment; Pikeville (Ky.); Prices; Secretive; Secrets; Spending; Stronger; Treatment; Truck mines; Wages; Welfare; Workers; Working conditions

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Coal miners--Kentucky; Coal miners--Labor unions--Organizing; Coal miners--Labor unions.; Coal miners.; Coal mines and mining; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry; Communities.; Country life; Employment--Kentucky; Occupations.; Poverty--Appalachian Region; Protest and social movements; Protest movements.; Rural conditions; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining