Women coal miners

  • Coal country women / produced by Mary Kasamatsu

    This is a three-part series on women in Appalachia in the 1970s: mining disasters, their lives as wives and mothers of miners, as miners themselves, and on life in mining country. Produced by Mary Kasamatsu, with funds provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, through National Public Radio’s Satellite Program Development Fund. Technical assistance by…

  • Occupation coal miner (Episode 2 of 3)

    Women miners in Appalachia share their problems and their triumphs as they talk about experiences ranging from job discrimination, sexual harassment, and workplace dangers, to the ongoing struggle to balance family responsibility and the demands of rotating shift work in the mines. Produced by Mary Kasamatsu. Broadcast on WPFW, 1982, and on KPFA, June 19,…

  • Never did run, ain’t going to yet: portraits of coal country women (Episode 3 of 3)

    This last episode in the series focuses on coalfield women who have fought and continue to fight to improve the quality of life in their communities. Some of the women featured are long-time labor activist Florence Reece, who wrote the song “Which side are you on?”; Helen Powell, a West Virginia black lung activist; and…