Trouble! at Coal Creek

An exhibit by Austin Sauerbrei

EXHIBIT DATES
AUGUST 18 — SEPTEMBER 26, 2025

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

Austin Sauerbrei recently completed a graphic novel, Trouble! at Coal Creek, based on the historical events of an East Tennessee labor uprising known as the"the Coal Creek War."

The book, Trouble! at Coal Creek was published by Haymarket Press on June 3, 2025. This exhibit unpacks the true events of the Coal Creek War, showcases the art from the book, and breaks down the artist’s creative process and what he learned along the way. The exhibit consists of a combination of original art, pages at different stages of development, original photos and newspaper articles from the historical events, and an 8 minute video interview with an East TN historian that helped produce the book.

This exhibit is available to the public for free during regular business hours and during special events.

To learn more about Trouble! at Coal Creek and purchase the graphic novel, visit haymarketbooks.org.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Austin Sauerbrei is a community organizer and sequential artist based in Tennessee. He currently serves as the Director for Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment (SOCM), a 53-year old, member-led organization dedicated to empowering everyday Tennesseans in their efforts to have a greater voice in determining their own future. Prior to this, Austin spent years as a neighborhood and tenant organizer in Nashville, and then as a labor organizer in Chattanooga and Knoxville. A lifelong comics enthusiast, Austin practices visual storytelling as a form of popular education. He and his wife, the Rev. Claire Brown, live in Athens, TN with their three children.