From the pulpit to the picket line: For many miners, religion and labor rights have long been connected in coal country
- Written by Richard J. Callahan, Jr., Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Gonzaga University
Harlan County is the heart of eastern Kentucky's coal region.Scott Olson/Getty ImagesIn October 2025, Cecil Roberts will officially retire from his role as president of the United Mine Workers of America. A sixth-generation coal miner, he has led the union for 30 years. Only one man held the role longer: John L. Lewis, whom many consider one of...










