Mother Jones Dinner Program
This Mother Jones Foundation dinner program is one of many but it's here to dedicate an inspirational Woman by the name of Mother Jones. Immigrating to the U.S. from Ireland in her youth, she had a rough start to her life in America. Through this struggle, she became a voice for the masses, speaking on behalf of workers at union meetings and garnereding the title “Mother Jones.”
Mother Jones was associated with many union groups in her time, but her impact on the coal mining labor movement in particular left a mark on American history. In the 1890’s organized coal miners for the United Mine Workers of Pennsylvania (UMP). She held strong with the UMP until 1902 when they were forced out by union busting efforts. She later assisted in the 1912-13 Paint Cabin Creek Strike, a coal miners strike in Paint Cabin West Virginia. Her efforts were rewarded when Congress opened an investigation into the conditions that sparked the strike.
The Jones Foundation was founded 1976 and continues her strong legacy of support for unions, labor laws and protection for vulnerable communities. Her work and memory lives on today at the Mother Jones museum at Mount Olive Illinois where her story continues to inform on the deep ties between labor activity and coal mining.
Sources
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/mother-jones.htm
https://aflcio.org/about/history/labor-history-people/mother-jones