Labor Rights

Labor Rights in Kansas

Work, Worth, and the Fight for Rights

Workers haven’t always had the rights they do today; protests, strikes, and unions played a key role in shaping today’s workplace. They fought for the 8-hour workday, protections against child labor, and rights for women and minorities. These victories came from strategic workers movements

One significant protest and strike that helped bring about labor reform happened in Southeast Kansas. In December of 1921, over 2,000 women gathered and marched for three days through 60+ coal mines forcing working miners out and halting coal production. Why? They were the Amazon Army, and they were marching for change.

What was the Amazon Army?

The “Amazon Army” was a group of immigrant wives, mothers, and daughters of coal miners in Southeast Kansas. These women saw the conditions miners were working in and supported the striking miners. When scab miners took their loved ones’ jobs they decided something had to be done.
These women took up what arms they could muster – mainly bricks, coal, and red pepper flakes – and descended upon the 60+ mines scattered around southeast Kansas. Their goal was to get the scab miners to quit and strengthen the strike.
The Amazon Army was so effective at disabling the coal mines that 600 - 800 members of the National Guard of Kansas were deployed to the area.Many of these troops were WWI veterans trained in “guerilla warfare” and armed with machine guns.
Despite the threat of military force. The women marched on. The Amazon Army’s three-day march had succeeded in halting the third largest coal mining operation in the world, at the time. After the marches ended, many of the women identified as the ringleaders were arrested. One of these leaders was Mary Skubitz.

What is a “scab” miner?

Scabs or scab workers are people who cross picket lines and take the jobs of striking workers. Scabs make it harder for striking workers to bargain for better working conditions and often create divisions in the workforce.

Who was Mary Skubitz?

About the Exhibit

Mary Skubitz was born in 1887 in Slovenia and later immigrated to Crawford County, Kansas with her family at the age of 3. Skubitz was known as an incredible leader who spoke five languages, could read and write, and had the heart of a tigress. She was a leading voice in the plan to protest and was one of the 49 women arrested for participating in the three-day march with the Amazon Army.
Skubitz was arrested a total of three times in connections with the “riots” and was alleged to be one of the most active leaders of the marches. She was charged with unlawful assembly and disturbing the peace and forced to post a significantly higher bail than normal. Eventually, all the women charged plead guilty and were forced to pay exorbitant fines and court fees.
But back home with their families and other coal miners, these women were hailed as heroes. They were celebrated and looked up to by their entire communities.

Conclusion

Without the gusto of these women, and their desire to see working conditions improve, it’s unlikely that conditions for coal miners would have changed so rapidly. Their bravery and desire for change paved the way for future protests and battles for workers.

Where You Can Learn More

Learn more by visiting these places in Kansas

Visit these attractions to learn even more about Labor Rights in Kansas

Miners Hall Museum

Miners Hall Museum in Franklin, Kansas, is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich coal mining heritage of Southeast Kansas and the…

Galena Mining & Historical Museum

Old Katy Railroad Depot moved in 1983, Museum opened in 1984, 42x42 annex added in 1988, 42x42 annex added in 2010. Home of mining, school…

Miners Memorial

A tribute to those who settled Crawford County. Includes a pavilion and the Miner Memorial, a larger-than-life bronze statute of a miner…

Miners Park - Frontenac

Enjoy special events, library programs, a book, or a cup of coffee in Downtown Frontenac. Includes a memorial for the worst mining disaster…

Miners Park

Miners Park is a great place to relax while visiting downtown Galena. And, the mural makes for a great Route 66 photo opportunity! Miners…

Quotes

“[We want] every mine idle in Southern Kansas … until the strike is victorious!” – Mary Skubitz

“The feminine mob is beyond all control.” – Sheriff Milt Gould

“Get out of here you dirty traitors!” – some marching women

“We’ll run every… traitor off the job in Southeast Kansas!” – leaders of the march

“We are going to every mine as far as the Oklahoma line!” – Annie Stovich

“Bring on the militia. We will fight their bayonets and bullets with our bare hands.” – leaders of the march

About Kansas 250

The Kansas 250 Commission is the official organization responsible for leading the state's efforts to commemorate America's Semiquincentennial throughout 2026. The Kansas 250 Commission works closely with local communities and partner organizations to provide a wide array of activities and events focused on America's 250th birthday. To learn more about the Kansas 250 Commission, visit their website by clicking here.

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