16 April 2019 — 0654 mdt

When coal was king, boys were breakers —
and they didn’t have Medicaid

Whether underground in Appalachia or in the giant strip mines of the Powder River Basin, digging coal always has been a dirty and dangerous job that ruins land and miners alike. At one time, the miners included 12-year-olds known as breaker boys. Lex Romane sang of their labors on his great album, Digging Dusty Diamonds. After listening to Breaker Boys, you may be in the mood to hear Lex sing the Miner’s Prayer.