Sundown Town

by Kevin Corley, Douglas E King

Who we are is not always who we must be to survive. In 1898, Big Henry Stevens leads hundreds of African-American coal miners and their families from Alabama to Illinois. When they arrive, the miners learn the mine owners lied to them. Instead of good pay for honest work, they were strikebreakers crossing picket lines. With no money and nowhere to go, they were stuck. Meanwhile, the fledgling United Mine Workers of America was prepared to do whatever was necessary to stop the unsuspecting miners—including murder. Sundown Town is based on the true story of the resultant war between these two groups who simply wanted what they felt best for their families and friends.

376 pages, Paperback

Published May 29, 2018

Reviews

[Donald Peebles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it very much. I could not stop once I got into the character-driven narrative on the issues of race and American labor unions. Although it is a novel, it is based on true events and many of the characters were altered and fictionalized for dramatic purposes. I recommend SUNDOWN TOWN as a crucial novel about the 1898 coal mine war in Pana, Illinois, between the mine bosses and the United Mine Workers of America. African-Americans like Big Henry Stevens were unknowingly used as strikebreakers. They wanted a new life out of Alabama, Tennessee, and other Southern states during the Nadir and Jim Crow years of the late 1890s for themselves and their families. The realities for many working-class African-Americans were those of sharecropping, convict lease systems, peonage, domestic work, lynchings, and other oppressive living. The formation of working conditions for all workers in America began with violence, bloodshed, and corruption.

[Pat Braun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fictional account of the coal mine wars in Pana, a central Illinois town, is a bit disturbing because of its history. Two sides, actually three, Black mine workers who were promised jobs in Central Illinois only to discover that they were strike breakers, coal mine workers who would do anything to keep the minds open, and union leaders and workers who fought for better working conditions. A lot of violence and very detailed descriptions.

I did have trouble following even with the list of characters with notations as to the actual historical figures. I have been reading a lot about the mines and the struggles to unionize and while this one was set where I now reside, and I am glad to read it, I might say that the writing was not the best.

But it IS worth reading.

[Gail Johnson, Ph.D · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first got this novel, I wasn't sure what to expect. Once I started reading it, I said "oh union stuff". I said that because being an ex-union rep (Local Steelworkers of 8248) during 2009, I can remember going to the meetings, fighting for better wages, and some rallies for other unions. Sometimes it was long hours and at times it was some racial tension. But unlike in the novel time period (1898) we got pass it with no bloodshed. A history re-telling novel both sad and funny, this was a pager turner for me. While reading it two things kept crossing my mind: OSHA would have had field day with this company and Whistle Blowing was going on back then. WOW! A really good novel.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in central Illinois history, warts and all, this is a book you should read. A well researched and nicely woven novel based in fact, about black Americans trying to support each other and their families by earning a living as miners in Illinois coal country.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to know the truth from the fiction. A life-check nonetheless. Love one another 🧡

[Courtney L. Kitson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow