minewar.org documenting the 1930's Illinois Mine War

Images

Pictures from the Illinois Mine War.

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  • Illinois state militia enforce martial law, Kincaid, IL - January 1933. Image courtesy of Christian County Coal Mine Museum
  • "Carrying Mother Jones Vault" West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • "Mother Jones Vault..." West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • "Group Of Willing Workers - 7/24/36" West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • "Chairman Of Committee, 7/26/36" (Joe Ozanic) West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • "Foundation For new Memorial To Mother Jones Her New Grave in Foreground 7/24/36" West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • "uncovered casket of Mother Jones - 7/24/36" West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • "Group of men who worked on 7-24-36 when Mother Jones was re-interred." West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • West Virginia and Regional History Collection
  • As part of the May 1937 sit-down strike, the 500+ miners assembled an underground band. These subterranean troubadors' live performance was broadcast live on KMOX radio in St. Louis.
  • An illustration from the Chicago Tribune which details how miners lived underground during their 9-day sitdown strike at Superior Mine Number 4 in Wilsonville. The caption reads: "WHERE ILLINOIS MINERS HOLD SHAFT IN 'SHARE WORK' STRIKE-Artist's conception of the interior of the Superior Coal company mine in Wilsonville. The situation yesterday developed into a deadlock, with the company refusing to negotiate while the men remain underground."
  • This image is part of an aerial survey of Illinois conducted in 1938. Peabody Mine Number 7, just south of US 104 in Kincaid, IL is pictured in the lower middle of the image. Image courtesy of Illinois Historical Aerial Photography Collection, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  • The state militia patrols in Kincaid, IL. Deploying the state militia effectively broke the Progressive Miner's picket lines at the Peabody mines in the Midland Tract. Those mines were able to reopen using scab labor. Locals referred to those scabs as "swampies" since many came from Southern Illinois.
  • Charter for Progressive Miners Local 35 in Mount Olive, IL. (collection of Mt. Olive Public Library)
  • Ben is a long time member of the UMWA and continues to be active in union issues as a retiree. Ben's family lived in the Harrisburg, IL area during the mine war. His father remained with the United Mine Workers and worked at the Peabody Mine Number 47.
  • The Staunton Labor Temple as it appeared in its heyday in the 1930's. Staunton was the launching point for the infamous Mulkeytown March.
  • Early photo of the Cumerlato family. On January 3, 1933, Emma (right) was shot and killed on her front porch during a melee in Kincaid, IL. No one was ever convicted of the crime although many believed she was murdered by the state militia or Peabody thugs.
  • This is the former home of Taylorville attorney, Leal Reese. Mr. Reese served as Taylorville city attorney and was also employed by the Progressive Miners. This home was bombed several times. On July 23, 1933 the front porch was dynamited.
  • This theater provided a community meeting place for miners and their families in the 1930's. The Progressive Miners of America was founded here on September 2, 1932.
  • Located in Wilsonville, IL. Site of the 1937 Wilsonville Sitdown Strike.
  • A bust of John L. Lewis sculpted from a lump of coal provided courtesy of the Christian County Coal Mine Museum.
  • "Mills Shadows" was a play written and directed by PMA Education Director, Tom Tippett. The cast was drawn from the Women's Auxiliary of the PMA. The play was performed in central and southern Illinois. The final performance was in St. Louis, MO.
  • This quilt was given to Agnes Burns Wieck by members of the Illinois Women's Auxiliary of the Progressive Miners of America a month before completing her term as president. "To Our Militant Leader...From Militant Admirers".
  • Mine shaft location Mine "B", Springfield, IL. In the 1930's, Mine "B" was owned by Carl Elshoff, and was organized by the Progressive Miners following their split from the UMWA. The Progressives later struck the mine after the UMWA attempted to assert control over the labor force. FBI records indicate that John L. Lewis provided funds to Elshoff to help him break the PMA strike. In a 1943 memo recommending the indictment of Lewis, Assistant U.S. Attorney General, Wendell Berge wrote, "Throughout the history of the trade union movement, agreements between a labor union and an employer to the detriment of a rival union, however bitter the enmity, have been despised and deemed treasonable and traitorous to the cause of labor." However, no federal indictments were ever issued.
  • Former site of Superior Mine No. 4 in Wilsonville, IL. On May 21, 1937, 540 PMA miners called an underground sit-down strike. The week-long strike was called to protect "share of time" provisions. The striking miners demanded the right to protect one another from the loss of jobs caused by mechanization. If full-time workers could share their hours, layoffs could be prevented and miners could at least earn sustenance wages. Bill Campion, a member of the strike committee proclaimed, "We demand the right to share our poverty with our fellow workers."
  • Erected by the Progressive Miners of America. Dedicated Sunday, October 11, 1936 before a crowd of 50,000. Prior to its unveiling, the PMA stationed guards around the clock to prevent the United Mine Workers from blowing the monument up. The UMWA and John L. Lewis unsuccessfully sought an injunction to prevent Jones' remains from being relocated to the site of the new monument. Twenty-one PMA martyrs are listed on the sides of the monument. "We count it death to falter, not to die." is inscribed above Jones' grave.
  • Thousands of miners from central and southern Illinois regularly assembled to peaceably march in order to shut down production and protect their autonomy. Frequently, they were met with violence from the coal operators, the United Mine Workers and the Illinois state militia.
  • Miner's wife and mother of three, on January 3, 1933 shot through the heart when "she opened the door of her home to save her husband from the terrific gunfire of the Lewis-Peabody thugs and Sheriff Wieneke's at the nearby Kincaid mine."
  • Former site of Peabody Mine No. 58 in Hewitville, IL which was active from 1901 - 1952. Mass picketing occurred here during the mine war. While the PMA were able to close the mine, eventually the picket line was broken with the help of the militia.
  • Former site of Peabody No. 7 mine in Kincaid, IL which was active from 1912 to 1952. Mass picketing occurred here during the mine war. In 1933, PMA martyr, Emma Cumerlato was shot and killed a few dozen yards from here.
  • Former site of Peabody No. 8 mine in Tovey, IL which was active from 1914 to 1954. Mass picketing occurred here during the mine war. The state militia intervened on behalf of the coal company and the United Mine Workers and broke the picket line.
  • - PMA flyer exhorts Franklin County miners to support the strike and stay home. Ziegler, IL - 1933.
  • PMA Local 1 members engage in a sit down strike, May, 1937. Strikers pushed to share hours with union brothers displaced by mechanization. The week-long action was not sanctioned by the international union.
  • Machine gun emplacements in Taylorville. Troops occupied the area for months, breaking the Progressive strike on Peabody mines.
  • Group photo documenting the founding convention of the Progressive Miners of America. September, 1932. Gillespie, IL.
  • Headline from the inaugural issue of "The Progressive Miner", September, 1932.
  • Title from newsreel on mine war violence in Kincaid, IL
  • National guard posted outside a mine in Kincaid, IL. Governor Horner's decision to send in the troops ensured PMA picket lines would be broken and that John L. Lewis and the Peabody Coal Company would prevail.
  • National guard patrols Kincaid, IL in late 1932.
  • Remains of drive-by shooting in Bulpitt, IL. Such violence was a common occurrence in the Midland Tract
  • 10,000 women demanded the restoration of civil liberties and the delivery of relief to the coal fields, January 26, 1933. Governor Horner met with the leaders but did nothing to address their concerns. Springfield, IL
  • Thousands of women marched on the state capitol in Springfield, IL on January 26, 1933
  • Thousands of women marched on the state capitol in Springfield, IL to insist on an end to widespread violence and to restore civil liberties in the coal fields. January 26, 1933.

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