Episode 14—Harlan County USA: I Do Not Dream of Strikes
Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976) captures the story of strike conducted by the United Mine Workers of America Local Union in Harlan County, Kentucky. Director Barbara Kopple lived among the miners’ families and captures an intimate portrait of a movement.
The documentary offers up close access to the coal mining process, as Barbara Kopple went down into the mines and filmed the men at work.
Two of the most vibrant presences in the documentary on either side of the strike: Lois Scott (left), one of the main community organizers of the strike, and Basil Collins (right), the notorious strike-breaker and ‘gun thug’ whose violent methods included intimidating the documentary crew.
The 1976 movie poster for Harlan County, U.S.A.
Continuing our I Do Not Dream of Labor series with Jessee’s selection, we dive into the 1976 Best Documentary Oscar winner, Harlan County, U.S.A. (dir. Barbara Kopple).
The sisters learn about Kentucky coal mine strikes and discuss the documentary’s community-based production, the role of women in front of and behind the camera, and some unforgettable folk music.
Which side on you on?
Behind the scenes photo of Barbara Kopple filming at the mines.
Show Notes
Film Synopsis
In this documentary about labor tension in the coal-mining industry, director Barbara Kopple captures a strike in rural Kentucky. The owners refuse the labor contract of the worker’s union at the Brookside Mine. Once the miners start to strike, the owners respond by hiring scabs to fill the jobs of the regular employees. The strike, which lasts more than a year, frequently becomes violent, with guns produced on both sides, as their lives and livelihoods are on the line.
Harlan County, U.S.A., directed and produced by Barbara Kopple, cinematography by Kevin Keating, Hart Perry, Tom Hurwitz, Cabin Creek Production Company.
References
Winter Soldier (1972)
American Dream (1990)
Wild Man Blues (1997)
My Generation (2000)
Havoc (2005)
Shut Up and Sing (2006)
Miss Sharon Jones! (2015)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Portrait of Jason (1967)
Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999)
Oz (1997-2003)
WTF with Marc Maron, Episode 1162, interview with Barbara Koppel
The Drunk Projectionist, Episode 2, interview with Barbara Koppel
The Cost of Complacency—Black Lung In Australia, The Lancet, 19 Aug 2017.
Harlan County USA soundtrack, Rounder Records
Recommendations
Jessee: Desert One (2019)
Frankee: The Fight in the Fields (1997)
Annee: Harlan County War (2000), Songcatcher (2000), Bisby ‘17 (2018)
