Hillbilly Women

by Kathy Kahn

A Book of Heroines.

They live in the towns and hamlets of southern Appalachia. They are the women of the coal-mine camps and mill towns; they are members of a fiercely proud sisterhood. For in spite of enormous abuse from mine and mill operators, welfare agencies, corrupt union officials, and their gun thugs, these women remain undaunted.

Hillbilly Women tells their stories in their own words--sometimes angry, sometimes tender, always compelling and direct. This is a vivid and moving picture of hillbilly life: its tragedies, its rewards, and its indomitable resiliency.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Southern, Sociology, American, Politics, American History

151 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be required reading for all Americans.

[Rick Rapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a disturbing series of interviews with self-proclaimed "hillbilly women" who have been victimized by the mining companies and the mills. They have been treated like second class citizens or worse. They have suffered along with their families from black lung, brown lung, pneumonia, and other diseases brought on by the unhealthy working conditions. This book was written ini the early 1970s and thankfully some improvements have taken place since then. But once again, it is another indication that the riches of this country were brought about by the greed of those who were in a position to own land or businesses and the corruption of lawmakers who went along with their requests, ignoring the workers' safety and health concerns. But the owners continue to grow richer and the balance becomes more inequitable. And the poor without a voice have been and continue to be victimized.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the 1970’s Kahn interviewed a group of women from the southern Appalachian region and put their lives together in this book. These biographies are both a powerful condemnation of the Big industries and Big Government that did their best to try and screw them over – but it is also a testament to the granite backbone these women have/had. No matter the obstacle, these women refused to roll over and die when told to – that fought like hell for their basic rights and to protect their families.

A must read to expand your knowledge of what the 20th century was like for people living at the ground level.

[Paul Campagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and inspiring book. Highly recommended read for a snapshot of the Appalachian people's struggles, and stories of strong women who lived there during the early 70s. You could listen to the Harlan County Blues soundtrack as a companion piece while reading this. The stories will make you angry (assuming you have a pulse) but also give you hope for how amazing people can be.

[Ever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book, figure out how much HASN'T changed since it was published 30 years ago, and be prepared to get very, very angry.

[Savannah Simms · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fantastic look at working class and impoverished women’s lives across Appalachia through the early 1970s. Set up as a series of short stories, you learn so much about what it meant to live in this region, the ways massive corporations exploited the area’s resources and people, and a lovely reminder of what it originally meant to be a redneck.

There are some very progressive takes from these women that really highlight the stark differences between what it used to mean to be southern / Appalachian vs the bastardization of these labels that we see across the right.

Compelling and irreverent, this is going to be one of my top books of 2025.

Read this if you’re interested in women’s history, working class history, labor unions, class struggles, homemaking in the 20th century, or even the ways police have been used to defend capitol in the 20s-60s

//

“Shirley's platform is a guaranteed annual income. She believes it is the right of every human being to have enough to eat, decent housing, clothes to wear, and proper medical attention. She knows from her own experience what it is like to go without these things.”

“The time will come. Someday us poor is going to overrule. We're gonna do it, by the help of God we're gonna do it. I believe it. I honest to God do. The poor is going to overrule. I've got faith in that.”

“The coal operators, fearing the strength of the rebellious miners, hired 325 armed guards. Some of the armed guards were deputized and given legal sanction to search houses of families on strike, to arrest any coal miner suspected of
"insubordination" to the coal operators, and to shoot and kill any miner they might consider "dangerous."

But Dad, the reason he wanted the gun was some of the miners and their families was starving and they needed some food. He aimed to get it for them.”

“Mommy told them they couldn't come in the house unless they left their guns outside. So they left their guns outside and come on in. They tore everything up.
Mommy stood there and held a shotgun on them the whole time they was there.

Mommy held the shotgun on them and made them put everything right back just the way it had been before, made them clean up the house.”

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read two books of narrative interviews. This and ‘Working’ by Studs Terkel. I found them both to be deeply satisfying and personal experiences that affirmed a feeling of basic human dignity and empathy that resonates despite the decades separating myself from the people who are telling their stories.

As opposed to the free form and lightly guided interviews in “Working”, the narratives in “Hillbilly Women” feel more like parables in a forceful church sermon. The author introduces each story preaching to the reader to note these women’s resilience and grit. Then the author concludes the interviews castigating the evils that beset them and calling the readers of her metaphorical congregation to action.

This is a small book where each story is a retelling of ‘David and Goliath’, where the unassuming women survive and persist against industry thugs, the avarice of coal tycoons, and unsympathetic governments. Nearly 50 years since publication, so many of the stories feel too familiar and so few of them end in any sort of victory. There are only small gains to support the overall tone that the author curates to suggest that with a little more attention and support the goliath could be felled (but it is obvious looking back from 2020 that the goliath is still around). Yet despite that, I can't decide if I found this book depressing or invigorating. I found it awe-inspiring but any other takeaways probably depend on the predisposition of the reader.

[L12_LaurieLaning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in the 1970's in a time when southern Appalacian families were struggling to survive and men were dying or being maimed in coal mines. The women in this story are highlighted for organizing against these mines which barely paid their workers and when they were injurred or killed in the mines, provided nothing to the families. They barely were able to keep their children fed and clothed, but the kinship between these families is to be admired. They always helped each other. The very sad part is, upon investigating current situations in southern Appalacia, things have not gotten better.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting read for today's world. Written in the 70s, it consists primarily of interviews with women who were living from the 30s through the 60s and their stories of fighting for union rights, safe environmental practices, education, health care. It was fascinating to note how much the region seems to have changed since then and so much of their hard work lost. Some of them gave their lives to fight for better for their children and further generations. Interesting characters and the details of their lives and challenges.

[Christa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has an irritating bias that undermines its message, but the stories the women tell are pretty fascinating. Reading this really highlights that the oppression of the working poor is longstanding and won’t fix itself. “What can people do to create a more just society? I think they can start by examining their own lives and discovering how they are being used to sustain corruption and oppression. Then they can begin the long hard work of resisting.”

[Jan Notzon · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's mildly interesting. Very much '60s crusading stuff.

[Todd Wittenmyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice trip back in time! A lot of it reminds me of my childhood! The book is a series of first hand accounts. These explain the struggles that the coal miners and their families endured!

[Amanda W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m gonna be honest - I love reading about hillbillies

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The burden of changing a corrupt society falls most heavily upon those who are most oppressed,”
So powerful, I’m glad I came across this!!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

great collection of interviews from the 1970s with women fighting for workers' rights in mines and mills in appalachia. read while staying in a cabin in west virginia.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realy stories of Applachian women. What a read!! Should be required reading for high school students. None of the stories are about women asking for sympathy, but rather of women proud of where they are from and of what they are. First part of book is about women either wives or daughters of miners. I heard and read about miners and mining towns, but these stories bring it close to home. It's unbelieveable that these conditions have and do exist in our country. Another 'forgotten' people.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories in this book were interesting, but after awhile, they were mostly all alike and I didn't care for the way the whole book was written. Obviously the author had a huge bias, and while I thought the stories were accurate and all, I got sick of her commentary of "This woman is a true hero, this woman is a real inspiration, this woman is the second coming of Jesus" (ok, I made that last one up) But you get the point. Enough. They're women, not saints.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of where I come from. Strong appalachian women struggling to support their families in harsh coal mining towns (before unions and during the struggle to form unions), boot-legging, working in textile factories. Appalachian women are strong and un-trusting by nature, this book will help you understand why.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author did a magnificent job with this book. She stepped in at parts, but otherwise all the stories were in these women's own words. Emotional, yet funny and heartwarming at times. These women held their families together, supported and provided for them, and fought for what was rightfully owed to them.

[Ali Mangkang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never re-read books. Ever(except for my son). But I will say, I can pick this book up anytime and read the stories of these women over and over again. I guess I appreciate the fact that the women are telling their own stories in their own words.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oral histories from women in Appalachia. The author's voice during the in-between segments wasn't my favorite part, but most of the book is made up of the stories of the women, in their own words, and their experiences with mines & mills & unions & getting by- pretty intense stuff.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about urban Appalachians in Cincinnati in the 1960s. Discusses a population that has been ignored, dismissed, or disparaged.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful oral histories from women in the Ozarks about labor struggles and their families.

[Tommy]

Hardcover including several actual photos with stamps on verso with name of photographer/subject accompanying the book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good sociological study of the Appalachias from the female point of view. Easy to read, as it is set up in short story format.

[shayne thomas]

stories of women living in appalachia. so far this book is rad!