175. Remembering 1921: The Battle of Blair Mountain - David Rovics Audio Essay

Empathy Media Lab

“There is another America. Remember it. Those miners died for you. You should at least know who they were. And then let's all follow in their footsteps. Long live the multiracial uprising in the hills of Appalachia in 1921. Long live the Battle of Blair Mountain.” David Rovics

U.S. Labor Day weekend 2021 marks the 100 year anniversary of the Battle of Blair Mountain, which was part of the West Virginia Mine Wars.

The battle was the largest armed insurrection in the U.S. since the Civil War. The sacrifices of those miners and their families who fought on Blair Mountain laid down a foundation to fight for every worker’s labor rights and protection and courageously stand up and face tyrannical men of murderous intent.

Empathy Media Lab will be in West Virginia documenting the Battle of Blair Mountain Centennial Commemoration, including the United Mine Workers of America’s reenactment of the famous march that ended in the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain.

This short film is based on an audio essay by David Rovics and the song Sixteen Tons by Merle Travis.

The following links providing more information about this labor struggle through:

• Dr. Charles B. Keeney’s book The Road to Blair Mountain Saving a Mine Wars Battlefield from King Coal
• West Virginia Mine Wars Museum
• Matewan directed by John Sayles
• David Rovics website and twitter

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Empathy Media Lab is produced by Evan Matthew Papp and we are a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network. Support media, authors, activists, artists, historians, and journalists, who are fighting to improve the prosperity of the working class everywhere. Solidarity forever.

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