On Tuesday 16th March current and past students and local trade unionists gathered to hear David Douglass talking about his latest book, Ghost Dancers. Former secretary of Hatfield NUM, David was an activist in the year long miners’ strike and a coalminer for over 40 years. The launch deliberately coincided with the 25th anniversary of the end of the year - long miners’ strike.
David told the audience, ‘The book sets the record straight. Uniquely it looks at the post-strike period and provides a hands-on view of the last generation of miners and their union.’
The title, David explained, is inspired by the last stand of the native Americans in their efforts to retain their culture and dignity: the book records the last stand of the last generation of pitmen and their communities. David himself is a survivor: still active in the NUM, a published author and historian of the coal communities.
Oxford film maker Anne – Marie Sweeney also showed her film Rebel Divas made for the National Women Against Pit Closures
Ghost Dancers is available from Central Books at www.centralbooks.co.uk
ISBN10 : 1873976402
ISBN13 : 9781873976401
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