In 1902 coal miners struck the mines along the New River, seeking better wages and better working conditions. The strike continued until February 25, 1903, when a massive gun battle
Our story of the West Virginia Mine Wars continues at Matewan, West Virginia, where a famous gun battle left several mine company hired guards dead, along with the town mayor,
For a century and a half the king of central Appalachia has been coal. That mineral powered the industrial revolution in America, made some men and corporations very wealthy and
On January 25th, 1890, the United Mine Workers union was formed at a convention in Columbus, Ohio. The new union was formed by the merger of two older unions, the
On June 17, 1922, a tremendous explosion happened at the Thealka mine near Paintsville, Kentucky, killing two miners starting up mine equipment. This blast was no accident. Join us today
One hundred years ago this month the largest labor uprising in American history occurred in southern West Virginia when striking coal miners gathered with weapons and headed toward the Appalachian
In May, 1921, union miners in the Tug Valley area of West Virginia had pretty much had enough of mine owners’ tactics, so they began a full-scale assault on non-union
On this day one hundred years ago Sid Hatfield was arrested in Williamson, West Virginia, charged with assaulting P. J. Smith, superintendent of the Stone Mountain Coal Corporation. Hatfield came
On this day 101 years ago a gun battle happened in the West Virginia town of Matewan that led to another, bigger conflict a little over a year later at
In the spring of 1920 miners in Mingo County went out on strike in order to secure the right to join the United Mine Workers. The response of the coal