Ep. 286: The Night Rider Tobacco Wars of Kentucky & Tennessee

At the turn of the 20th century as the U.S. production of tobacco was on the rise, a group of disgruntled tobacco farmers in small region of western Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee called “The Black Patch” organized against the monopolizing Duke Trust to help protect the income of so many small tobacco farmers. In this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast, hear the little known story of the largest domestic armed uprising in America that had taken place since the Civil War.

Author and former Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court Bill Cunningham shares the unbelievable story of the Night Riders. Dr. Lloyd Murdock of the University of Kentucky talks about the history of tobacco in the region and why is was so important to the people of the “Black Patch.”