The Rebel in the Red Jeep: Ken Hechler's Life in West Virginia Politics follows the personal and professional experiences of Ken Hechler, the West Virginia politician and activist who died in 2016 at the age of 102. Biographer Carter Taylor Seaton will recount a century of accomplishments, from Hechler’s introduction of innovative teaching methods at major universities, to his work as a speechwriter and researcher for President Harry Truman, and finally to his time representing WV in the United States House of Representatives and as the secretary of state. In WV, where he resisted mainstream political ideology, Hechler was the principal architect behind the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 and constantly battled big coal, strip mining, and fellow politicians alike. In 2004, Hechler began campaigning against mountaintop removal mining. He was arrested for trespassing during a protest in 2009 at the age of 94.
Lunch With Books programs are free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to bring a bag lunch and complimentary beverages are provided. Call the library at 304-232-0244.
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