Told with great intimacy and compassion, The Bootleg Coal
Rebellion uncovers a long-buried history of resistance and
resilience among depression-era miners in Pennsylvania, who sunk
their own mines on company grounds and fought police, bankers, coal
companies and courts to form a union that would safeguard not just
their livelihoods, but protect their collective autonomy as citizens
and workers for decades. Community and Labor organizer Mitch Troutman
brings this explosive and accessible American tale to life through
the bootleggers' own words. Scholars, historians, organizers and
activists will celebrate this story of the people who literally
seized mountains and stood their ground to create the Equalization
movement, the miners' union democracy movement, and the Communist-led
Unemployed Councils of the anthracite region. This epic story of
work, love and community stands as a testament to the power of
collective action; a story that is sorely needed as communities today
rise to confront neoliberal policies ravaging our planet.
