The Mining Communities of Clifton-Morenci, Arizona and Kimberley, South Africa

Just as the students of History 201 are responsible for writing about a working class community, I am also going to be writing about the aspects of community life as part of my dissertation. I'd like to use part of this class blog to share that part of my research with you just as you are responsible for doing on your own blog.

Since I've been researching my own topic for quite sometime, I really have an advantage over everyone because I know exactly what I'm writing about. My dissertation is a comparative history of two mining towns - one in Clifton-Morenci, Arizona and the other in Kimberley, South Africa. Both towns existed almost completely around a single industry. In Clifton-Morenci it was the copper mining industry and in Kimberley it was the diamond mining industry.


























Both towns developed around the same time, in the 1870s after the discovery of minerals in the 1860s. Both communities contained a large migrant population of people from many different background and ethnicities. Their ability to work together and create a community is part of the reason I was drawn to them.



Mineworkers in Clifton-Morenci pose for a photograph



Diamond mineworkers preparing a meal inside of their compound housing.