"Salt Of The Earth" 1954
“Salt Of The Earth” is a 1954 independent film by three
blacklisted Hollywood directors. The
movie follows the story of 1950’s working class miners on strike at Empire Zinc
Company in New Mexico. These men are
protesting for better and safer work conditions but are plagued in their
mission when they are legally banned from holding a strike. The wives and women step up to fight for
their men, who do not appreciate their act of valor. Instead, the women are oppressed by the men,
similar to the way the company oppressed the miners. In the movie, the men learn that by working
with their equal female partners, more can be achieved. In the social class system in this era, most
middle class women were domestic house wives, but many struggled for the pursuit
of equality, especially in the work place due to the aftermath of World War
II. While men were off at war, middle
class women were forced into taking over the open jobs. This empowerment continued after the
conclusion of the war and workplace equality is still fought for today.
- Carly Cibelli
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