Pots, Pans, and Protest: The Amazon Army of Kansas

On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Way Back When" History Podcast, we explore the powerful story of the Amazon Army March of 1921 in Southeast Kansas. Thousands of women — armed not with weapons, but with pots, pans, and unshakable courage — marched to support miners demanding fair working conditions. This occurred on the historic Jefferson Highway.

Featured guests are:

- Phyllis Bitner – Chair, Miners Hall Museum Foundation Board of Trustees. The Miners Hall Museum in Franklin, Kansas is dedicated to preserving and sharing Southeast Kansas coal mining history and its diverse immigrant culture. More: https://www.minershallmuseum.com/ 

- Linda Knoll – Board Trustee of Miners Hall Museum and one of the founders. She is the playwright of Army of Amazons, the catalyst for the "Solidarity" mural project (1999–2000). Linda’s work has been featured through the Humanities Kansas Speakers Bureau, honored with a Civil Rights Award by the NEA, and even nominated for an Emmy through PBS. More: https://www.amazonarmy.com/ 

Although this conversation premieres for Labor Day, the story of the Amazon Army is timeless — a reminder of how ordinary women made extraordinary contributions to justice, equality, and workers’ rights.

📖 Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to the Amazon Army March

02:33 – Historical Context of Franklin and Coal Mining

05:34 – Immigrant Experiences and Community Development

08:40 – Life in the Coal Mining Towns

11:27 – The Role of Women in Labor Movements

14:26 – The March of the Women: A Historical Perspective

16:52 – Conditions of Miners and Their Families

19:51 – Strikes and Labor Rights in the Mining Industry

22:28 – The Impact of Gender on Labor Movements

30:45 – The Hidden History of the Amazon Army

33:54 – Women’s Rights and Social Justice

36:05 – Resilience and the Fight for Rights

37:16 – Moonshining and Economic Struggles

41:51 – Preserving History and Future Projects

48:43 – A Poetic Reflection on Struggles

🎧 This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio’s "Women Making History," "Jefferson Highway," and "Big Daily Blend" podcast channels: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork