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Coal Operators Willing to Negotiate, Front Page of The Wheeling Intelligencer 11.3.1919 Front page of The Wheeling intelligencer. Vol. LXVIII, No. 61 (Wheeling, W. Va.), 03 Nov. 1919. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
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Court document filed against miners Document from the United States District Court
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Statement made by the Operators Association A statement made by the operators association of the Williamson Field to the United States Senate
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Women and children refugee tell of mine army gathering
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Seated is W. H. Blizzard, who commanded the miners' army. With him is an "aid-de-camp." Seated is W. H. Blizzard, who commanded the miners' army. With him is an "aid-de-camp." The picture was taken just after their arrival from the battle front, when federal troops brought peace to the mountains. (http://www.wvculture.org/history/labor/mwnews.html )
Huntington Advertiser, 11 September 1921
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Bill Blizzard, Frank Keeney, and other United Mine Workers officials at railway depot before heading to trial for murder. Bill Blizzard, Frank Keeney, and other United Mine Workers officials at railway depot before heading to trial for murder. Typewritten annotation is by William C. Blizzard, and is attached to the photograph. From the William C. and Bill Blizzard When Miners March Collection, Radford University, Radford, VA.
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(2/2) Signatures of mothers, wives, and daughters This page shows the signatures of 400 mothers, wives, and daughters voicing their support for union coal miners
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1/2, Signatures of mothers, wives, and daughters These are the signatures (page 1/2) of four hundred mothers, wives, and daughters voicing their support for union coal miners
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The labor world. [volume], October 15, 1921, Image 8 Newspaper clipping from October 15, 1921.
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New-York tribune. [volume], September 03, 1921, Page 2, Image 2 Newspaper page from September 3, 1921.
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The daily worker. [volume], April 14, 1924, Page Page Three, Image 3 Newspaper clipping from April 14, 1924.
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Newark leader., June 09, 1922, Image 1 Newspaper clipping from June 9, 1922.
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Newark leader., June 09, 1922, Image 1 Newspaper clipping from June 9, 1922.
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Newark leader., June 09, 1922, Image 1 Political Cartoon clipping from June 9, 1922
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Striking Miner's Families Outside Barracks Portrait of children and some women and men gathered outside a barracks
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A Bomb Dropped on Miners Miners showcase a bomb they claim was dropped on them from one of Chafin's planes. The fighting on Blair Mountain became so intense and entrenched that Chafin, the leader of the anti-union defense forces, saw fit to drop bombs on miners from planes. This image demonstrates to intensity of the fight and how serious it became.
(http://www.wvculture.org/history/labor/mwnews.html)
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Fighting at Blair Mountain Here, we see a group of men loyal to Chafin repulsing an attack by the miners. Lines of temporary fortifications like this extended all along the Logan-Boone county border. Machine guns were used to keep the miners, many of whom had fought in former American wars, at bay. (http://www.wvculture.org/history/labor/mwnews.html)
Charleston Gazette, 10 September 1921
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Chafin, Don and a Number of His Company's Paid Deputies An image of Don Chafin (marked by an X) standing with his men. Don Chafin lead armed opposition to the marching miners and organized resistance against the revolt at Blair Mountain. He and members of law enforcement and the local community formed a small army, better equipped than the miners.
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Picture of W. H. Blizzard (left) A picture of W. H. Blizzard, a leading organizer at the Battle of Blair Mountain (left). Bill Blizzard was considered a leader, if not the leader of the miners' army. Blizzard had been working to organize and unionize miners in West Virginia for years. He was later tried for his actions at the Battle of Blair Mountain.
(http://www.wvculture.org/history/labor/mwnews.html)
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Logan Men Ready for Battle A group of men getting ready to fight in Logan County. The miners' army was primarily equipped with high-powered rifles and organized by union leaders. Chafin's men were better armed, with machine guns and a number of planes.
(http://www.wvculture.org/history/labor/mwnews.html)
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Letter of Support from the Communists A letter from the Communist Party of America in support of the labor movement in WV. At times, information regarding the level of organization around the Battle of Blair Mountain can be sparse. This document demonstrates the systematic nature of a lot that went down here, and how complex ideologies contributed to the genesis of many labor resistance movements. Taken from The West Virginia mine wars: An anthology.
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Socialist and Labor Star clipping A clipping from the Socialist and Labor Star. This clipping shows a pro-labor group describing incidents of government hostility from their own perspective. Miners had been building up years of resentment for hostility against them. Events like these were what led up to the fight at Blair Mountain.
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Solidarity Forever The lyrics to the anthem of American labor. Many are familiar with the Pete Seeger rendition of Solidarity Forever. What they may not be aware of is the fact that the song was inspired by events that occurred in West Virginia.
Taken from Paint Creek Miner: Famous Labor Songs from Appalachia, by Charles Patterson.
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Pro-Labor Image A piece of pro-labor propaganda. Printed images like these were used to sway hearts and minds in the battle for workers' rights. A simple image like this invokes the staggering levels of complexity in these movements- requiring printers, artists, distributors, and whole layers of dedicated workers working together.
Taken from Paint Creek Miner: Famous Labor Songs from Appalachia, by Charles Patterson.
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IWW Labor Propaganda A pro-union image printed by the IWW. Images like this helped to contribute to workers' awareness of unions and to encourage union philosophy. Many union organizers thought that unions should be the ones to run industry- not bosses and firms.
Taken from Paint Creek Miner: Famous Labor Songs from Appalachia, by Charles Patterson.