The true story is based on the 1951 strike against the Empire Zinc Company in Grant County, New Mexico. The company is identified as "Delaware Zinc", and the setting is "Zinc Town, New Mexico". The film shows how the miners, the company, and the police react during the strike. The film was banned by the US government when released and not re-released until 1965. <br /><br />Salt of the Earth was one of the first fully independent films made outside of the Hollywood studio system.
