Harlan County U.S.A.

Harlan County U.S.A. backdrop
Poster for Harlan County U.S.A.
MOVIE
PG

Harlan County U.S.A.

Which Side Are You On?

This film documents the coal miners' strike against the Brookside Mine of the Eastover Mining Company in Harlan County, Kentucky in June, 1973. Eastover's 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. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with New York Women in Film & Television in 2004.

Release Date

1977-01-23

Year

1977

Duration

1h 45m

Status

Released

Score

7.49

#strike#kentucky#mining#working-class#union#labor#labor-union#woman-director#miners-strike#black-lung#united-mine-workers

Cast

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Norman Yarborough

Self - Eastover Mining President

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Houston Elmore

Self - UMW Organizer

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Phil Sparks

Self - UMW Staff

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Bessie Lou Cornett Parker

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Sudie Crusenberry

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Mary Lou Fergerson

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Basil Collins

Self - Mine Foreman

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Florence Reece

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Lois Scott