Gordon L. Swartz III, Oral History with Karl Kafton, United Mine Workers of America Leader
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 4647
This is an oral history interview conducted by Gordon L. Swartz III featuring Karl Kafton, a West Virginia coal miner and active member of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) union. Kafton shares his parents’ story of immigrating to the United States from Ukraine in the early 20th century and his father's experiences working in coal mines in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He describes his childhood in a predominantly immigrant mining community,... his experiences in grade school, and leaving school early as a teen to serve in World War II. Kafton also discusses how various pieces of labor legislation passed throughout the 20th century shaped trade unions in the US. In addition to sharing his experiences working in West Virginia coal mines, he also describes the dynamics of interracial and multi-ethnic collaboration in union organizing efforts. Kafton talks at length about the inner workings of UMWA, critiquing and comparing the practices of leaders like John L. Lewis, Sam Church, Arnold Miller, and Tony Boyle. Kafton also describes his involvement in the Miners for Democracy movement within UMWA, campaigning for Joseph Yablonski, and aiding in the investigation of Yablonski’s assassination. Swartz initially recorded the interview on two cassette tapes and later digitized the recording onto 3 CDs. The run time for the interview is around 2 hours and 45 minutes.
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There is no release form accompanying the interview, so the West Virginia and Regional History Center is unable to grant permission for the use of this collection outside of research purposes. As with other materials at the WVRHC, permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
The interviewer, Gordon Lloyd Swartz III (1948-2022), was a WV coal miner, local historian, and member of the United Mine Workers of America.
The interviewee, Karl Kafton (1925-2002), was a WV coal miner and active member of the International Executive Board of the United Mine Workers of America. His parents immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in 1913, and he grew up in Appalachia and worked at various mines in the region. Kafton is best known... for his involvement in the Miners for Democracy movement, campaigning for Joseph Yablonski in his contested UMWA presidential election, and his role in solving the murders of the Yablonski family.
0.06 Linear Feet (1 folder, 0.75 in.)
English
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Gift from Swartz, Gordon Lloyd, III on 2021 September 22.
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository