From This Collection

Why coal mining jobs have disappeared

Aug 19, 2024
Automation in coal mining has increased productivity and reduced employment in the industry.
Automation in coal mining has increased productivity and reduced employment in the industry.
Justin Merriman/Getty Images

How song makes the union strong

Aug 12, 2024
Labor songs were sung at home, on the job and on the picket line. Let's look at the history, starting with "Harlan County, U.S.A."
Unions regularly published songbooks containing tunes to organize and build solidarity. The Industrial Workers of the World’s songbook was first published in 1909.
University of Washington Libraries Special Collections

In a company town, how much power does the company have?

Aug 5, 2024
“Harlan County U.S.A.” depicts a labor dispute in a coal town with a violent history, where organized workers waged a 13-month strike to check the power of an industry in which employers have long had the upper hand.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection