West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, Matewan

[Tanuki]

https://mailchi.mp/6ba53cd8286e/minewarsmuseum-4443982



"The wait is finally over. We're open to the masked public this weekend in a new location! If it weren't for the sacrifices made by union coal miners in the early 20th century, we wouldn't be celebrating Labor Day this weekend. What better way to celebrate than learning about their struggles at the new and improved Mine Wars Museum in Matewan?
......

You'll see a lot of familiar and unfamiliar items in our new exhibit space, including a tent replica that miners lived in during the 1912-1913 Paint Creek-Cabin Creek Strike, an area devoted to the resistance of women during the Mine Wars, a 100+ year-old Jefferson County jail cell that once held Bill Blizzard and other union miners during the 1922 Treason Trials, and so much more, but we won't spoil it all before you come! 

......

99 years ago today, on September 2, 1921, federal troops were put on alert and given orders to prepare to move into West Virginia. 

In late August, a “temporary peace”, or so they thought, was negotiated by General Harry H. Bandholtz, U.S. Army and General William “Billy” Mitchell.

The generals returned to Washington DC with the news, but skirmishes broke out on August 29th causing the return of the generals. 

By September 3, a military force of 2,106 troops and 13 planes arrived at Jeffrey, Sharples, Blair, and Logan. The officers and troops that arrived were from Ohio, Kentucky, New Jersey and Maryland. Although the bombers were stripped of any and all artillery, Sheriff Don Chafin had hired private planes to drop makeshift bombs on the miners (photo below). "...(more)

[Sneederbunk]

1. A truly bizarre part of American history

that should be taught to all.

[Tanuki]

2. ....

[Sinistrous]

4. Thank you, Tanuki.

[Withywindle]

3. A very important piece of US history that's all but buried now.

For fictional treatments, watch the movie Matewan by John Sayles

For current historical context about Appalachia in general, I recommend the book What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia by Elizabeth Catte. (Begun originally as a refutation of Hillbilly Elegy, it's way deeper than that.)