As someone who grew up in a coal mining town in Filbert, Pennsylvania, I witnessed firsthand the culture, struggles, and resilience of mining families. My father was a miner who tragically lost his life in a mining accident in 1964. Those experiences shaped my view of the world and stayed with me through every chapter of my life.
When I began writing Men with Black Faces: The Tears of the Human Worms, my goal was simple: to preserve the voices of miners and their families before they were lost to time. These men and women were more than statistics in history books—they were human beings with dreams, laughter, struggles, and sacrifices.
The book combines my personal history with years of teaching and research, especially as I drew inspiration from the cultural diversity I experienced teaching abroad. I wanted to weave together fact and narrative to bring to life an era that shaped countless communities but often gets overlooked in modern conversations.
Writing this book was both a tribute and a responsibility. A tribute to those who came before me, and a responsibility to ensure their stories continue to be heard by future generations.