On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Way Back When" History Podcast, we explore the powerful story of the Amazon Army March of 1921 in Southeast Kansas. Thousands of women — armed not with weapons, but with pots, pans, and unshakable courage — marched to support miners demanding fair working conditions. This occurred on the historic Jefferson Highway.
Featured guests are: - Phyllis Bitner – Chair, Miners Hall Museum Foundation Board of Trustees. The Miners Hall Museum in Franklin, Kansas is dedicated to preserving and sharing Southeast Kansas coal mining history and its diverse immigrant culture. More: https://www.minershallmuseum.com/
- Linda Knoll – Board Trustee of Miners Hall Museum and one of the founders. She is the playwright of Army of Amazons, the catalyst for the "Solidarity" mural project (1999–2000). Linda’s work has been featured through the Humanities Kansas Speakers Bureau, honored with a Civil Rights Award by the NEA, and even nominated for an Emmy through PBS. More: https://www.amazonarmy.com/
Although this conversation premieres for Labor Day, the story of the Amazon Army is timeless — a reminder of how ordinary women made extraordinary contributions to justice, equality, and workers’ rights.
📖 Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to the Amazon Army March 02:33 – Historical Context of Franklin and Coal Mining 05:34 – Immigrant Experiences and Community Development 08:40 – Life in the Coal Mining Towns 11:27 – The Role of Women in Labor Movements 14:26 – The March of the Women: A Historical Perspective 16:52 – Conditions of Miners and Their Families 19:51 – Strikes and Labor Rights in the Mining Industry 22:28 – The Impact of Gender on Labor Movements 30:45 – The Hidden History of the Amazon Army 33:54 – Women’s Rights and Social Justice 36:05 – Resilience and the Fight for Rights 37:16 – Moonshining and Economic Struggles 41:51 – Preserving History and Future Projects 48:43 – A Poetic Reflection on Struggles
🎧 This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio’s "Women Making History," "Jefferson Highway," and "Big Daily Blend" podcast channels: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork
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