S8 E1: Carrying Big Annie Clemenc’s Story Forward: From the 1913 Copper Strike to Calumet’s New Statue — with Vada Riederich

More than a century after the 1913–14 Copper Country Strike, one of its most prominent leaders now has a permanent place in downtown Calumet, Michigan. Anna Klobuchar Clemenc, better known as “Big Annie,” was born in Calumet to Slovenian immigrant parents and became a leader in the strike, founding and serving as president of the Women’s Auxiliary No. 15 of the Western Federation of Miners.

In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with Team Big Annie chairperson Vada Riederich about the years-long community effort to raise $150,000 to create a bronze statue honoring her legacy and the August 2026 unveiling. Vada about how a Facebook post grew into a years-long campaign, the people who helped make the monument possible, and what Big Annie’s legacy can teach new generations about labor history in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

Notable Quotes:

1. “She was driven and she would not give up on what should be fair and right.”
2. “At that time when women had no voice and no vote, that's quite an undertaking for a young woman of 25 years old.”
3. “I hope that young people will be inspired to learn more about our amazing history and be proud to share it.”
4. “We're still a young nation and we're still growing and learning from our mistakes…history gives you that information so we can figure a path to correct those mistakes”
5. “So she spoke up at that time, and it led to good things in the future.”

Helpful links:

Big Annie Statue Project

https://www.biganniestatue.com/

Keweenaw National Historical Park

https://www.nps.gov/kewe/

Coppertown Mining Museum

https://www.nps.gov/places/coppertown-mining-museum.htm

Keweenaw Community Foundation – Big Annie Statue Fund

https://www.keweenawcommunityfoundation.org/big-annie-statue-fund

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