In memory of the Battle of Blair Mountain

[Divisive Cotton]

I was just reading this article:

http://appalachianhistory.blogspot.com/2009/08/original-redneck-explanation.html

And then onto the Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain

The Battle of Blair Mountain was the largest organized armed uprising in American labor history and led almost directly to the labor laws currently in effect in the United States of America. For nearly a week in late August and early September 1921, in Logan County, West Virginia, between 10,000 and 15,000 coal miners confronted company-paid private detectives in an effort to unionize the southwestern West Virginia mine counties.

Stirring stuff

 

[butchersapron]

Part of the re-writing of appalacha and related places as full of racist rednecks and hillbillies. Of course, Matewan deals with part of the build up.

 

[revlon]

one of his better ones

 

[Mrs Magpie]

West Virginia has always had a history of trade-union activism I believe.

 

[butchersapron]

They're trying to blow the fucker up for mining. The place where the w/c launched a full frontal assault on the local state.

 

[A. Spies]

Nice one. Interesting stuff.

Bit of a 2-part documentry on you tube.

 

[Spion]

Also check out Harlan County USA



You can find a torrent for the movie

 

[gawkrodger]

There's also a book on the subject which I'd highly recommend

'The Battle of Blair Mountain' by Robert Shogan

 

[butchersapron]

Uploaded today:

Battle of Blair mountain, 1921, photo gallery

West Virginia's mine wars, 1920-1921

Book mentioned above is here.

 

[Casually Red]

Also check out Harlan County USA



You can find a torrent for the movie

last time i looked at hulu it was streaming on there...great doc

 

[Casually Red]

Matewans another very good one




http://www.umwa.org/?q=content/matewan

and from an earlier prelude...extremely bloody prelude has to be said..the Molly Maguires

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/maguires/maguireshome.html



not n the same league as Matewan but watchable

 

[Chilli.s]

Earlier this year I read:

The Ballad of Trenchmouth Taggart (Glenn Taylor, 2008)

a novel that touches on this bit of history. Quite a memorable story, short and sweet, would recommend

 

[butchersapron]

Just got a copy of When Miners March: The story of coal miners in West Virginia - covering the redneck army. Signed by the author, who is the son of the heroic Bill Blizzard the 'general' of the army.

Maybe it’s no wonder that Bill Blizzard led the largest insurrection on American soil since the Civil War, and the largest labor uprising ever (and for his efforts in West Virginia’s epic Battle of Blair Mountain he was tried for treason against the state).

 

[imposs1904]

Matewans another very good one




Matewan | United Mine Workers of America

and from an earlier prelude...extremely bloody prelude has to be said..the Molly Maguires

Molly Maguires Trials (1876-77)



not n the same league as Matewan but watchable

A bit of Matewan history. Only $2000

 

[yield]

Beneath the Soil of Blair Mountain

Harness the power of maps to tell stories that matter. ArcGIS StoryMaps has everything you need to create remarkable stories that give your maps meaning.

storymaps.arcgis.com

In West Virginia, archaeological sites span nearly the entire history of the human occupation of North America, from the Paleo Indians to the recent past. In particular, archaeological excavations in the areas surrounding Blair Mountain have helped to illuminate portions of our history that had not previously been told in history books.

With each passing year the introduction of stripmining practices such as Mountaintop Removal on the battlefield has threatened to destroy evidence of the war that occurred there in 1921. Coal companies have used the passage of time against coalfield communities, hoping that as evidence of the battlefield faded so too would memory of the struggle.

Not only have these artifacts played a key role in helping activists prove the importance of preserving Blair Mountain but they have also helped archaeologists to recreate portions of the battlefield revealing previously unknown aspects such as tactics, access to materials, and battle formations.

 

[Serge Forward]

By the way, there's an article on the battle of Blair Mountain in the latest issue of the ACG's Stormy Petrel magazine: Stormy Petrel 3

Apologies, no pdf version yet