A panel discussion was held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Cherry mine disaster in which 259 men and boys died. The coal mine in Cherry, Illinois, caught fire on November 13, 1909. The disaster catalyzed the implementation of industry-wide mine safety regulations and a liability act that later became the Illinois Workmen's Compensation Act. After each author presented his perspective on the tragedy, they responded to questions from members of the audience.

The panelists were: Dean Cotton and Lorena Galletti Cotton, authors of Oneness: Angiolina, The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster (AuthorHouse; September 29, 2004); Karen Tintori, author of Trapped: The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster (Atria; September 1, 2002); Steve Stout, author of Black Damp: The Story of the Cherry Mining Disaster (Utica House Publishing; 1993); and Ronald Bluemer, author of Fire Below (Grand Village Press; January 1, 2007).

This event was held at 6:00 p.m. CT on November 7, 2009 in the atrium of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.

Incorrect event date shown on the screen.
Bluemer misspelled on screen.