Interview with Sudie Crusenberry, September 16, 1986

Interview Summary

Sudie Crusenberry talks about her father's work as a miner and his suffering from black lung. She talks about growing up in the Brookside mining camp. She talks about taking care of her father through his health issues while also participating in the Brookside strike. Crusenberry talks about being asked by a group of women to join the Brookside mine strike. She talks about the creation of the Brookside Women's Club. She talks about the Club's meetings, planning, and fundraising for the striking miners. Crusenberry talks about protesting at the picket line by laying down in the road to block cars from getting to the mines. She talks about being shot at by the opposition. She talks about the importance of the film being shot at this time which later became "Harlan County U.S.A." She talks about people in the picketing group being served subpoenas and being arrested. Crusenberry talks about the threats made by the KKK toward the people fighting for the union. She talks about confrontations with the state police.

Interview Keyword

Brookside coal strike 1973-1974 Black Lung Brookside Strike Brookside Mine Strike Brookside Mine Brookside Women's Club Scabs (strikebreakers) Harlan County U.S.A. (Motion picture) Picket lines

Interview LC Subject

Women in the labor movement Coal miners. Coal miners--Kentucky Coal mines and mining--Kentucky Families. Lungs--Dust diseases Medical care--Appalachian Region Medical care--Kentucky Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining Coal miners--Labor unions. Collective bargaining--Coal mining industry Picketing. Protest and social movements Protest movements. Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Kentucky Strikes and lockouts--Miners United Mine Workers of America Mining camps Violence Law enforcement

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.