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25 August 1921: Battle of Blair Mountain
Published 1 month ago
Description
On this day, 25 August 1921, the Battle of Blair Mountain, the largest armed rebellion in the US since the civil war, began in West Virginia.
Miners and their supporters had been killed in Welch and Sharples, and other miners were being held in jail under martial law in Mingo County, the last anti-union stronghold in the southern part of the state.
Thousands of striking coal miners, dubbed "rednecks" due to the red bandanas they wore around their necks, were determined to march on Mingo, and armed themselves. Union leaders ordered them to turn back, but thousands of miners ignored their leaders and headed onwards.
Meanwhile, mine bosses set up defences on Blair Mountain, which separated Mingo from the already-unionised territory. They deployed thousands of deputies, state police and mine guards, and also armed others like strikebreakers and store clerks, and set up machine-gun posts around the mountain.
The miners attacked, and fought days of fierce battles. Mine bosses also brought in National Guard and used planes to drop bombs on the miners. Eventually, federal troops were brought in, and facing their overwhelming firepower, the miners eventually surrendered or returned home by September 4.
You can learn more about the battle, and its context in the West Virginia Mine Wars, in our first graphic novel, Black Coal and Red Bandanas: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/products/black-coal-and-red-bandanas-an-illustrated-history-of-the-west-virginia-mine-wars
More info in our podcast episodes 57-58 on the West Virginia mine wars: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e57-west-virginia-mine-wars-1902-1922/
Pictured: a striking miner in the dispute
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
Miners and their supporters had been killed in Welch and Sharples, and other miners were being held in jail under martial law in Mingo County, the last anti-union stronghold in the southern part of the state.
Thousands of striking coal miners, dubbed "rednecks" due to the red bandanas they wore around their necks, were determined to march on Mingo, and armed themselves. Union leaders ordered them to turn back, but thousands of miners ignored their leaders and headed onwards.
Meanwhile, mine bosses set up defences on Blair Mountain, which separated Mingo from the already-unionised territory. They deployed thousands of deputies, state police and mine guards, and also armed others like strikebreakers and store clerks, and set up machine-gun posts around the mountain.
The miners attacked, and fought days of fierce battles. Mine bosses also brought in National Guard and used planes to drop bombs on the miners. Eventually, federal troops were brought in, and facing their overwhelming firepower, the miners eventually surrendered or returned home by September 4.
You can learn more about the battle, and its context in the West Virginia Mine Wars, in our first graphic novel, Black Coal and Red Bandanas: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/products/black-coal-and-red-bandanas-an-illustrated-history-of-the-west-virginia-mine-wars
More info in our podcast episodes 57-58 on the West Virginia mine wars: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e57-west-virginia-mine-wars-1902-1922/
Pictured: a striking miner in the dispute
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
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