Welfare Mothers Help Striking Coal Miners (June 2020) 

Acrylic on Canvas

30’ x 40”

In this painting, David recalls an incident from 1974 in which three leaders of the West Virginia Welfare Rights Organization—Joan White, Shelva Thompson, and Ethel Brewster—give striking union miners information about how to apply and fight for food stamps and the other benefits that they were entitled to as low-income people.  

The painting represents an important action which challenges common stereotypes: Women on welfare are often called ignorant and denigrated for not having jobs.  Coal miners are praised because they are men who have a paycheck. In this case, the welfare mothers were organized to fight for their rights and the rights of others, including these striking miners, and the men needed the information they had to share.  

David saw this incident as an important example of class solidarity during his four years as volunteer director of the West Virginia Welfare Rights organization.  He credits these three women with teaching him about strategy and tactics in welfare organizing as part of efforts of uniting both the employed and unemployed members of the working class.