Suffer Smoke

The mine at Morenci, Arizona, has gone down in history as the site for bloody strife between exploitive management and Mexican-American workers. Recruited from Mexico, the original miners preceded successive generations born and raised in Morenci to work in the mine. The spotted history of the town subsequently became the basis for Mexican-American legend.

A native daughter of that mining town has created lucid, ardent stories about the families and the mining company which financially supported, yet oppressed the culture of their home, school, church and work. Elena Diaz Bjorkquist gives voice to the characters beneath the toil, illuminating the complexity of their yearnings and frustrations.