Harlan County U.S.A.
dir. Barbara Kopple · 1976
Plot
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.
Why watch
A group of coal miners in Harlan County, Kentucky, stand resolutely against the oppressive tactics of the Eastover Mining Company, their struggle punctuated by moments of violence and solidarity. Watching this film is like being thrust into the heart of a community grappling with injustice, where every picket line and rally is a testament to their fight for dignity and rights.