“There are two great material tasks in life,” declared John L. Lewis, the autocratic yet beloved labor leader, to his followers during the 1940 presidential campaign. “The first is to achieve or acquire something of value or something that is desirable … the second task is to prevent some scoundrel from taking it away from you.”
This December 22, 1951 photo shows Lewis in coal mining garb at the West Frankfort, Illinois mine the day after an explosion ripped through that mine, resulting in the deaths of 119 miners. Lewis was born in 1880 in Lucas County, Iowa to parents both of whom had emigrated from Wales. The family lived in a company town built around a coal mine. He attended three years of high school in Des Moines and at age 17 went to work at the Big Hill Mine in Lucas.
Ten years later he ran for mayor of Lucas and launched a business. Both efforts failed so he returned to coal mining. He was elected president of his local United Mine Workers (UMW) chapter and soon came to the attention of Samuel Gompers who hired Lewis as a full-time labor organizer. He rose quickly through the ranks and by 1920 was elected president of the influential union. Membership climbed steadily and by the end of World War II the UMW reached about 500,000 men.
During that time, Lewis was sometimes referred to as the second most powerful person in the country, after the president. Four times he was featured on the cover of Time magazine. Lewis was a charismatic figure who headed the coal miners’ union for 40 years before retiring in 1960. He died in 1969 at the age of age of 89. This weekend Black Diamond stages its annual Labor Day celebration including the famous parade, which rolls down Highway 169 on Monday at 10 a.m. There are plenty of other events on Saturday and Sunday. For more information go to the Black Diamond Labor Days’ Facebook page or consult their website: www.BlackDiamondLaborDays.org
