Thirty four years ago on February 5, 1979, several thousand tractors plowed a field of political dissent as they drove into Washington, D.C.  One group of tractors started in Colorado and moved eastward on Highway 50 picking up tractors as they moved across the country.  They became part of 30,000 farmers demonstrating over the plight of American farmers to earn enough money for their crops and animals to cover the cost of raising them and make a living.  They called it “parity”, and it was needed to keep farmers from losing their farms.

            The Kinsley Library will host a public open house on Saturday, February 2 from 1-5 p.m. at the library to showcase 14 oral histories of people living in Edwards County who were involved with the American Agriculture Movement from 1977 through 1980.  These folks participated in tractorcades to neighboring towns, Topeka and ultimately Washington D.C.

            “The interviewees will be at the open house to share their stories of a journey which was plagued with blizzards and clashes with police,” said Joan Weaver, Kinsley Library Director.  “This nearly forgotten grassroots protest was an important and impressive event accomplished through pure determination and grit.”

            Interviewees include: Beverly Snyder Anderson, Peggy Arensman, Lester Derley, Dolores Jones, Jeff Mead, Darrel & Karen Miller, Ed & Marjory Scheufler, Mary Ellen Schinstock, Jerry Stapleton, Jean Titus, Alvin Wheaton, and Jack Wolfe.                                                                      

            The open house will also feature displays of quotations from journals and pictures taken at AAM events and tractorcades.  People will be able to watch short videos from the interviews and a vintage movie, “Food Prices Too High?  Compared to What?” made by Jerry Litton.    All of the oral histories are also accessible on the library website (www.kinsleylibrary.info ) where complete audio recordings with transcriptions, photographs, documents, speeches, and a slide show of images by Beverly Snyder Anderson can be accessed.  

            The library is located at 208 E. 8th St. in Kinsley.  For more information, contact the Kinsley Library at 620-659-331 or email, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

            The project was funded in part by a grant from the Kansas Humanities Council. The KHC conducts and supports community-based humanities programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to participate in their communities.  For more information contact the Kansas Humanities Council at 785/357-0359 or www.kansashumanities.org.