In 1902, journalist Lincoln Steffens profiled John Mitchell, the quiet, disciplined leader of the United Mine Workers of America, during the Great Coal Strike. Mitchell rejected demagoguery, insisting labor’s power rested on contracts, restraint, and honor - an approach that reshaped union leadership in the Coal Region and beyond. Read the full story.
In September 1900, Mary Harris “Mother” Jones rallied women in McAdoo, Pennsylvania, to join a march supporting striking miners. Her stirring speech and fearless leadership convinced workers at nearby patch towns to lay down their tools in solidarity. Read the full story.
Step back into the tense streets of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, during the 1900 Coal Strike with this gripping illustration from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Violent clashes erupted between striking mineworkers, non-union laborers, and law enforcement, leaving one man dead and many wounded. Discover how this pivotal moment played out against the backdrop of one of the Coal Region's lesser-known but important historical events. Read the full story.
A women reporter documents the lives and struggles of working class women on the outskirts of Hazleton in 1900.
This dispatch from the 1902 Coal Strike eloquently describes the battle lines as the strike entered its pivotal fifth month.
A writer at the Lykens Register opined in September 1900 about rising inequality in the Coal Region.