
Overview
This film documents the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company in Harlan County, Kentucky in June, 1973. Eastovers refusal to sign a contract (when the miners joined with the United Mine Workers of America) led to the strike, which lasted more than a year and included violent battles between gun-toting company thugs/scabs and the picketing miners and their supportive women-folk. Director Barbara Kopple puts the strike into perspective by giving us some background on the historical plight of the miners and some history of the UMWA. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with New York Women in Film & Television in 2004.
Details
- Director
- Barbara Kopple
- Writer
- N/A
- Original Language
- English
- Budget
- N/A
Cast
Basil Collins
Bessie Lou Cornett Parker
Florence Reece
Houston Elmore
Lois Scott
Mary Lou Fergerson
Norman Yarborough
Phil Sparks
Sudie Crusenberry
Keywords
black lung
kentucky
labor
labor union
miners strike
mining
strike
union
united mine workers
woman director
working class
No comments yet. Log in to add a comment.