Athenian Dialogue

Description:

The worst hard-rock mining disaster in American history began a half hour before midnight on June 8, 1917, when fire broke out in the North Butte Mining Company's Granite Mountain shaft. Sparked more than 2,000 feet below ground, the fire spewed flames, smoke, and poisonous gas through a labyrinth of underground tunnels. Within an hour more than 400 men would be locked in a battle to survive. Within three days 164 of them would be dead.

Fire and Brimstonerecounts the remarkable stories of both the men below ground and their families above, focusing on two groups of miners who made the incredible decision to entomb themselves to escape the gas. While the disaster is compelling in its own right, Fire and Brimstone also tells a far broader story striking in its contemporary relevance. Butte, Montana, on the eve of the North Butte disaster, was a volatile jumble of antiwar protest, an abusive corporate master, seething labor unrest, divisive ethnic tension, and radicalism both left and right. It was a powder keg lacking only a spark, and the mine fire would ignite strikes, murder, ethnic and political witch hunts, occupation by federal troops, and ultimately a battle over presidential power.

Participants are responsible for obtaining and reading the book prior to the Dialogue. Pick up a copy at your local book store or on Amazon.

What is an Athenian Dialogue?

Athenian Dialogues are 6-hour intensive conversations that allow participants to explore leadership theory, practice, and principles while earning IIMC certification education credits.

Clerks have the opportunity to relate their experiences in public leadership roles to the book's themes and key ideas, drawing connections and insights they can apply in their professional and personal lives.

This opportunity for rich, deeply engaged conversation and shared insight is a treasured Institute tradition and not to be missed!

Questions? Feel free to email them to lydia.maunz@montana.edu.