“March of the Amazon Army,” a Kansas Humanities Council program, will be presented at the Iola Public Library at 7 p.m. Tuesday as part of the current “Iola Reads” project.
In 1921, thousands of wives, daughters, mothers, sisters and sweethearts of striking coal miners in Southeast Kansas marched in protest against unfair labor practices in the local coal mines. The women’s march made headlines across the nation, and the New York Times christened them the “Amazon Army.”
The women, mostly immigrants from southeast Europe, were effective and halted work in the mines for three days. This program explores the history behind this unusual event.
“March of the Amazon Army” is brought by the Kansas Humanities Council. The presenter is Linda O’Nelio Knoll, an educator and historian who has worked in a variety of heritage preservation settings. Her play “Army of the Amazons” has been performed for numerous audiences. She also assisted with the development of the Miners Memorial in Pittsburg.
SEK women were ‘Amazon Army’
