From March on Blair Mountain:
We march to preserve Blair Mountain, abolish mountaintop removal, strengthen labor rights, and an investment in sustainable job creation for all Appalachian communities.The March on Blair Mountain is a peaceful, unifying rally involving environmental justice organizations, workers, scholars, artists, and other citizens and groups. The march commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Blair Mountain in 1921, when 10,000 coal miners rose against the rule of the coal operators and fought for the basic right to live and work in decent conditions. Currently, Blair Mountain is threatened with obliteration by mountaintop removal (MTR) mining, and it is here that a new generation of Appalachians takes a stand.
In the spirit of the original march–which consisted of mountain peoples, African-Americans, and immigrants from all over Europe–we reach out to a diversity of groups to march in solidarity for the workers, communities and mountains of Appalachia. If you stand with us, you are one of us — a true mountaineer.
We march to preserve Blair Mountain, abolish mountaintop removal, strengthen labor rights, and an investment in sustainable job creation for all Appalachian communities.The March on Blair Mountain is a peaceful, unifying rally involving environmental justice organizations, workers, scholars, artists, and other citizens and groups. The march commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Blair Mountain in 1921, when 10,000 coal miners rose against the rule of the coal operators and fought for the basic right to live and work in decent conditions. Currently, Blair Mountain is threatened with obliteration by mountaintop removal (MTR) mining, and it is here that a new generation of Appalachians takes a stand.
In the spirit of the original march–which consisted of mountain peoples, African-Americans, and immigrants from all over Europe–we reach out to a diversity of groups to march in solidarity for the workers, communities and mountains of Appalachia. If you stand with us, you are one of us — a true mountaineer.
Lessons from the Mountain ~
- In late summer 1921, over 10,000 miners marched the 50 miles from Marmet to Blair Mountain to protest work conditions and to call for unionizing
- The miners were met with strikebreakers, the police, and, eventually, the US Army
- Over a million rounds were fired - 50-100 men were killed and hundreds more wounded
- Almost 1000 miners were arrested
- The Battle of Blair Mountain was one of the largest civil uprisings in our nation's history, matched only by the Civil War - the immediate effect was diminished union strength, but in 1935 under FDR the unions became strong and continued through the 1970's
- Nevertheless, the 1921 march drew attention to the horrid conditions facing miners every day
- Beginning June 6, 2011, several hundred citizens from many states and even different countries began the fifty mile march from Marmet to Blair Mountain, replicating the 1921 event - the stimulus was the threat of mountain top removal by coal companies - I will write more about the effects of MTR on the health and well-being of individuals, families, communities, the mountain and its environs, and the mountain culture
- The marchers walked several miles a day - the main glitch came when camp sites that had previously agreed to host the marchers at the end of a day's march reneged - some acknowledged that they had been asked/told not to support the marchers
- On June 11, 2011, a truly diverse group of people came - over 1000 came together for the morning rally at the base of the mountain and almost 800 climbed the mountain to the battlefield of the miner's 1921 struggle - union members, students, retired miners, Quakers, ordinary citizens who have become activists - all races, educational levels, and income levels were represented - all ages, from in utero to 90 years +
- Marchers included at least three Chatham University faculty - Lou Martin from History who walked the entire 50 miles, Greg Galford from Interior Architecture, and me - Lou and Greg both have West Virginia roots and I have eastern KY roots
- Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., an environmental attorney, spoke - he noted that, if a corporation were threatening to chop off the top of a mountain and to dump the dirt and rocks into streams in the Catskills or Adirondacks, this would be called criminal activity and the corporate heads would be held accountable for the destruction
- Kathy Mattea, singer and activist, spoke and sang - and urged the marchers to hold all people in their hearts, even those who were supportive of surface mining and mountain top removal
- Many many amazing citizens from West Virginia, Kentucky, and Virginia spoke from the heart
- In early afternoon, the long march up the mountain started - first, three abreast, then single file, uphill for over two miles in temperatures in the high 80s
- Marchers sang, shared water, chanted, and helped one another
- Many state police units were present, ensuring the safety of the event
- As hoped and planned for, it was a peaceful, inspirational, and respectful activity - there were very few counter protesters on the day of the march - there were no confrontations or ugly scenes
- Check out the Inspiration page in the next few days for some cool songs, pictures, and speeches and the Blog for more stories
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