This week, we’re revisiting our episode “What Is Appalachia?” from December 2021. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the Midwest, the Rust belt and even the Northeast. The Appalachian Regional Commission defined the boundaries for Appalachia in 1965 with the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commision, a part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. It was legislation that sought to expand social welfare, and some localities were eager for the money, while others resisted the designation. The boundaries and definition of Appalachia can now only be changed by an act of Congress.
Home » Suppressed Mine Wars History Being Revived Inside Appalachia
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Suppressed Mine Wars History Being Revived Inside Appalachia
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Not many Americans know the story of the Mine Wars that were fought between workers, labor unions and mine company guards during the early 1900s. In this show, Jessica Lilly talks with filmmaker Randy MacLowry, whose new PBS documentary The Mine Wars focuses on these armed uprisings by labor organizers in the coalfields of southern West Virginia.
Was the Mine Wars One of the Sources of Negative Appalachian Stereotypes?
We’ve talked a lot on this show lately about who gets to tell Appalachia’s story. This can get kind of touchy because, well, we’ve been burned before. Even during our struggle for dignity and constitutional rights, the national media was quick to dismiss what they called an “uncivilized” group of Appalachian people.
West Virginia historian Chuck Keeney says many of the national perceptions of us Appalachians may have started during the mine wars. These stereotypes continue to this day.
Also in this episode:
The Mine Wars history hasn’t been taught by most public school history teachers. We’ll from one West Virginia history buff who’s hoping to change that.
People down in southern West Virginia who say they’re proud to see the history of the mine wars getting more attention through a new Mine Wars Museum.
We’ll also explore the story behind the word “Redneck” and what it has to do with the history of the West Virginia Mine Wars.
Music in this show was provided by Andy Agnew Jr., Ben Townsend, the late Hazel Dickens, Hurray For the Riff Raff as heard on Mountain Stage, Time Eriksen and Riley Baugus from the album Blair Pathways. You also heard music by Alan “Cathead” Johnston with help from Stacy Grubb from the soundtrack of the play “The Terror of the Tug”.
Our What’s in a Name theme music is by Marteka and William with “Johnson Ridge Special” from their Album Songs of a Tradition.
This week, we’re revisiting our episode “What Is Appalachia?” from December 2021. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the Midwest, the Rust belt and even the Northeast. The Appalachian Regional Commission defined the boundaries for Appalachia in 1965 with the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commision, a part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. It was legislation that sought to expand social welfare, and some localities were eager for the money, while others resisted the designation. The boundaries and definition of Appalachia can now only be changed by an act of Congress.
Another year's legislative session is now behind us, but news of a special session this spring means the West Virginia Legislature won’t be gone for long. In the meantime, we’ll dive into stories on education, including stories on a new study on special education and a group of West Virginia principals visiting the United States Capitol.
On this West Virginia Morning, Erika Howsare is the author of The Age of Deer: Trouble and Kinship with Our Wild Neighbors, a book that takes some of the mystery out of the white tail deer that have lived on the edge of humanity for a very long time.
On this West Virginia Morning, it was a shock when author, musician and West Virginia University professor Travis Stimeling died abruptly in November. They were 43. Folkways Reporter Zack Harold collected remembrances from colleagues, former students and friends. He shared them recently on Inside Appalachia.