For five days in late August and early September 1921, in Logan County, West Virginia, between 10,000 and 15,000 coal miners confronted an army of police and strikebreakers backed by coal operators during an attempt by the miners to unionize the southwestern West Virginia coalfields. The battle, known as the Battle of Blair Mountain, ended after approximately one million rounds were fired, and the United States Army intervened by presidential order.
The Battle of Blair Mountain was the result of economic exploitation of workers during a period of social transformation in the southern West Virginia coalfields. Beginning in 1870-1880, coal operators had established a system of oppression and exploitation based around the company town system. To maintain their domination and hegemony, coal operators paid "private detectives" as well as public law enforcement agents to ensure that union organizers were kept out of the region. In order to accomplish this objective, agents of the coal operators used intimidation, harassment, espionage and even murder.
Following the battle, 985 miners were indicted for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, accessory to murder, and treason against the State of West Virginia. Though some were acquitted by sympathetic juries, many were also imprisoned for a number of years, though they were paroled in 1925. It would be Bill Blizzard's trial where the unexploded bomb was used as evidence of the government and companies' brutality, and ultimately resulted in his acquittal.
In the short term the battle was an overwhelming victory for management. UMW membership plummeted from more than 50,000 miners to approximately 10,000 over the next several years, and it was not until 1935 — following the Great Depression and the beginning of the New Deal under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt — that the UMW fully organized in southern West Virginia.
Today, there is a new Battle of Blair Mountain. It pits local activists and environmentalists against Big Coal who only wants to pillage the land, poison the water, and maximize profits. As the modern day activists march in and around Blair Mountain, they sing the same song that the miners of 1921 sung- Which Side Are You On?
Fortunately, today's election will not be a battle as vicious, bloody, and deadly as the Battle of Blair Mountain. Thankfully, we've come a long way in a century. So make no mistake at all, I am not comparing the Battle of Blair Mountain to the Save Roberts Stadium movement in terms of physical battles. Rather, I am comparing the two in terms of mental determination.
You see, if we are truly going to be successful in saving Roberts Stadium, we must stand united just like the miners of 1921 did. Even though they were defeated in the short term, it only took a few years before the real outcome of the battle was decided- the union won and the monopoly by Big Coal over their workers was broken.
So which side are you on? Are you on the side who wants to demolish Roberts Stadium. The side who has no respect for history, no idea of what they would put on the lot themselves, and certainly no idea how much it's going to cost? Or, are you on the side of saving Roberts Stadium? The side that respects history, wants to make history a part of progress, and has already rounded up possible tenants for the venue.
This past week, you've seen the who candidates are who will fight for Roberts Stadium. Now, it is up to you to go to the polls and elect these 6 noble candidates today. These 6 candidates are willing to do what no one thought would ever happen, put all of their political support behind Roberts Stadium.
As I've said a thousand times before, Hank Roberts didn't take the construction of Roberts Stadium lightly, he knew that it would ultimately cost him his career as mayor. But mayor Roberts went ahead and built Roberts Stadium because he knew, like the miners of Blair Mountain did in 1921, that while he would certainly be defeated in the short term, he would eventually win in the long run.
Today, you have the opportunity to gave Hank Roberts the victory he deserves by voting for the 6 candidates on the right.
Which side are you on?
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