Blair Mountain, WV: The West Virginia Mine Wars

America's Most Endangered Mountains - Blair Mountain, WV

Pledge to Help End Mountaintop Removal. Visit:
www.iLoveMountains.org


- - - COMMUNITY STORY - - -

"[Mountaintop removal coal mining would] wipe out a large part of the southern end of the battlefield that was occupied by the union miners."

Blair Mountain, West Virginia is the site of a 1921 battle in the West Virginia Mine Wars,, the historic push of unionized coal miners from the north to organize the workers of the southern coalfields. Involving 13,000 union miners and 2,000 anti-union defenders, the battle was the largest armed conflict in America since the Civil War!

It remains literally a battleground: a prime location for finding historic artifacts left from both sides of the conflict. It's also, however, a battleground between opponents of mountaintop removal coal mining and the coal companies themselves.

Kenny King, a resident of Blair Mountain since 1962, explains how this historical site, which he has been working to preserve for 17 years, is threatened by a 333 acre mining permit. "[Mountaintop removal coal mining would] wipe out a large part of the southern end of the battlefield that was occupied by the union miners."

A valuable piece of labor organizing history is not the only thing that would be destroyed by mining Blair Mountain. According to King, if they strip Blair Mountain, they'll lose innumerable natural resources: "Valuable hardwood forest, herbs like the ginseng, yellowroot, cohosh, and blood root... you'll never see it again. All will be lost; it'll just cease to exist. It will be erased off the face of the earth."

If you would like to help protect Blair Mountain's many valuable assets, please take King's advice: "Let [your representatives] know that there has to be a better way than sacrificing all the mountains and forest land and historical sites just for a convenient way of producing energy."


To support Kenny and his community contact:
Kenny King • (304) 752-2260 • hillboy23@suddenlink.net
www.FriendsofBlairMountain.org

The Friends of Blair Mountain is a group of historians, archeologists and others dedicated to preserving the cultural and historical resources of the site of the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain in southern West Virginia.

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[PortiaElizabeth]

What happened to preserving our environment? Why is this sort of thing still happening? My heart aches for the people of West Virginia.

[bhensley80]

I live here the mountain is still in tact on the eastern face.Still alive with the beauty of the west Virginia hills.This battlefield should never be destroyed.This was a pivotal moment in the labor force of America.To cut this mountain is to erase the voice of the people.Made this is what they want,to get rid of the ghosts of the past.But this is a snake who can't shed it's skin.

[Devorah Tarrow]

Very moving, and we must save Blair Moutnain!

[Dave James]

Great cause!

[nytwings]

The Sierra Club and coal miners may seem like an odd match, but they're working together to save the Blair Mountain battlefield, and the health of the families in this area.

[Jumbofry]

The only place the American govt dropped BOMBS on its own citizens !!!

[vince cannibol]

time for a blue/green coalition. blue collar workers unite with envirows. all wearing red kerchiefs!

[lamboleap]

Love the bandanna! Rednecks are still alive and still fighting!!!

[fetalalien1369]

The problem is how angry people get when you suggest that we as a society need to get away from coal within the next hundred years or so. They take it as though you're trying to take away their job.

[1236bigcat]

Thank you for this video and the good things you stand for. I relate to you very well in spirit and was born in Williamson West Virginia. All my relatives (ancestors) for atleast 100yrs come from the Tug River valleys, one side goes back to the 1820's and 'Big Ephraim.'

What they do to some, if they get away with it long enough, they will do to all. To be ignorant means to ignore. I'd help if I could.

[bestinhouse]

the Environmental Protection Agency was hijacked by big coal and big oil during the Bush years... No laws, no justice.