[11] As national political support for the NIRA dwindled, capital gained the upper hand, and when the United States Supreme Court struck down the legislation's pro-union National Recovery Administration portion, shops with union presence in Harlan dwindled from eighteen to one. Looking for protection by the Kentucky National Guard, many were surprised to find that they broke the picket lines instead. I was born in Florida and grew up in Burdine, Kentucky. These charities began to give aid to blacklisted miners who were unable to find employment as the soup kitchens had closed once the NMU had closed its doors. It outlawed yellow-dog contracts, company unions, blacklists and discrimination on basis of union activity, all tactics employed by coal companies. Miners and their families responded by occupying the railroad tracks to keep the still-loaded trains from carrying coal away till they were paid. The Harlan County War, or Bloody Harlan, was a series of coal industry skirmishes, executions, bombings and strikes (both attempted and realized) that took place in Harlan County, Kentucky, during the 1930s. Location. It outlawed yellow-dog contracts, company unions, blacklists, and discrimination on basis of union activity, all tactics employed by coal companies. The National Industrial Recovery Act only partially succeeded in accomplishing its stated goals when it was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on May 27, 1935, which was three weeks before the Act was set to expire. They have also been used in anti-nuclear and anti-military actions in decades past, one of which resulted in anti-war veteran Brian Willson losing his legs in 1987. Songwriter Florence Reece reported, Sheriff J. H. Blair and his men came to our house in search of Sam that's my husband he was one of the union leaders. The question is back: Which Side Are You On?. Editor. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Harlan is 1 in 573 and property crime is 1 in 48. The county became nationally famous in 1931 and 1932 when it was the site of one of the earliest and bloodiest labor battles of the decade. Though most workers felt disillusioned with organized labor structure, the NMU's radical ideology gained some traction: ten local lodges sprang up before the Harlan County NMU was officially chartered. The troops promptly escorted the union men to the county line. The unrest continues in Harlan and surrounding counties as there have been many strikes. An open shop is where union membership is allowed but not mandated to work at that location. Miners in Harlan County, Kentucky, have drawn national attention with their direct actionoccupying a railroad track to halt a coal train until the miners get paid the wages they are owed for digging it up. The Harlan County Coal Miners, 193139 by John W. Hevener p. 128, Which Side Are You On? Yellow-dog contracts (Contracts where the employees agreed to never organize into a union before they were employed with a coal company), company unions, blacklists, all tactics that were employed by the companies to bust up unions, and discrimination-based on union activity were all outlawed under this act. [1] Its county seat is Harlan. No concessions or deals were made between the two factions and the membership of the United Mine Workers union plummeted. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. [12] On May 24 a union rally was tear-gassed, and Sheriff Blair rescinded county members' right to assemble. [11] Team and coaching superlatives Concord, California De La Salle won 12 total national championships from 1994 to 2015, including 6 in a row from 1998 to 2003. This is open to all ages, and yes, we'd love to see you bring your grown princess just the same as those little ones! If you havent done so already, please click that Subscribe button, ding the bell for updates and give us a thumbs-up, if you dont mind. Principal cast [ edit] Holly Hunter as Ruby Kincaid Stellan Skarsgrd as Warren Jakopovich Ted Levine as Silas Kincaid Wayne Robson as Tug Jones Alex House as Buddy Kincaid [19], Where the NIRA had been toothless in Harlan, the Wagner Act of 1935 proved itself a far greater thorn in the side of Harlan County's mine operators. It is thought that Middleton was assassinated for backing troops who were present in the County to protect the miners. 12, Which Side Are You On? At the peak of the first strike, 5,800 miners were idle and only 900 working. Compare Harlan crime data to other cities, states, and neighborhoods in the U.S. on NeighborhoodScout. Touch for map. It began after the mine operators cut wages of miners. At first, there were little battles with gunshots being exchanged between the strikers and the private guards, and the local law enforcement agents. Based on this new Act, from October 27, 1933, to March 31, 1935, the mines ran as open shops. Advertisement. Coming Soon. A road to change: Harlan County. In 1969, Tony Boyle was challenged for the UMWA presidency by Jock Yablonski, who promised democracy in the union. Today, U.S. coal comes mostly from the Western plains, dug out by huge earth-moving machinery and carried to the coasts on mile-long, dust-spewing trains. It just seems silly that in 2020 we are still using such a dirty process to create energy. An open shop allows union membership but does not mandate it. There's no such thing as neutral. Federal soldiers were routinely dispatched to the coal fields in response to what one governor called a reign of terror.. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. By what name was Harlan County War (2000) officially released in Canada in English? George Harlan Bleecker. But some refuse to . Harlan 74, Kuemper Catholic, Carroll 56. Marshalltown 62, Fort Dodge 41. Harlan County War (2000) is a television film directed by Tony Bill and written by Peter Silverman. She was the daughter of a Kentucky coal miner and married to Sam Reece, an organizer for the radical National Miners Union, then embroiled in the bloody 1931 Harlan County war. By then a powerful UMWA represented 400,000 working miners, promising safety at work and an escape from the poverty that had consumed generation after generation. (Florence Reece appears in the film.) Strikers exchanged gunfire with private guards and local law enforcement; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten. Probate records are held by the Harlan County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Harlan County, Kentucky Genealogy Courthouse. A Committee was formed and conducted by Activist Theodore Dreiser under the auspices of the National Committee for the Defense of Political Prisoners (NCDPP). These guards were legally able to protect these men during their off duty time. Although underemphasized in modern curriculum. New York Times; May 12, 1934 pg. $19.98 . The song Which Side Are You On? became the anthem of a reborn United Mine Workers (UMWA) union in the 1930s, then an anthem for all workersa reflection of working-class consciousness in the turbulent New Deal years. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The 2000 television movie Harlan County War starred Holly Hunter. Union members were beaten, their families terrorized. 1. Although these miners today have no union, the mines of Harlan County have a storied history of grassroots labor militancy. Privacy Policy Cast & Crew Director: Tony Bill Writer: Peter Silverman Starring: Holly Hunter Ted Levine. [21] 1935 proved to be a turbulent year, even for Harlan; troops were deployed to maintain order in the county three times. [4]:46 The strikebreakers were protected by private mine guards with full county deputy privileges, who were legally able to exercise their powers with impunity outside the walls of their employers. The UMW union called in the National Guard to help them. They exercised their powers with impunity and operated under Sheriff J.H. California labor activist Caroline Decker also raised money for the relief of the striking miner efforts. My songs always goes to the underdog to the worker. 27, TROOPS AGAIN MOVE ON HARLAN COUNTY: Occupation of Kentucky Area New York Times; September 29, 1935; pg. In the throes of the Great Depression, Harlan County coal owners and operators, in an effort to expand national dependency on their fuel, chose to sell below cost. Holly Hunter is nothing less than magnificent, as is the entire cast superbly directed by Tony Bill. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. No concessions were given by the mine operators and UMW membership plummeted. This action did not go unnoticed by the labor unions and the United Mine Workers union decided to attempt to organize the already-impoverished labor force of the area. John Henry "J.H." Blair (1879 - 1934) was the sherrif of Harlan County, Kentucky during the Harlan County War, which was a series of coal mining-related skirmishes, executions, bombings, and strikes (both attempted and realized) that took place in Harlan County, Kentucky during the 1930s. 6, Which Side Are You On? Harry Simms, who was a Young Communist League organizer was killed in Harlan. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! Even though things were doing better for the unions in Harlan County, there was still civil unrest. Marker is on Kentucky Route 3001, 0.1 miles north of U.S. 421, on the left when traveling west. Blair made it clear that he was on the side of the mine operators and the people of the county lost any illusion that the law enforcement would be impartial in this strike. The Seco Train Accident September 20, 1917, New Bank in the Coal Country Installed in 1911, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Evarts, https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/new-deal/national-industrial-recovery-act-of-1933/, https://pipiwiki.com/wiki/Battle_of_Evarts, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlan_County_War, https://labornotes.org/blogs/2019/08/brief-history-harlan-county-usa, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/the-wagner-act-of-1935-national-labor-relations-act-2060509#:~:text=%20The%20Wagner%20Act%20defines%20and%20prohibits%20five,or%20administration%20of%20a%20labor%20organization.%20More%20, https://www.nytimes.com/1935/09/05/archives/bomb-in-auto-kills-kentucky-official-harlan-county-attorney.html#:~:text=HARLAN%2C%20Ky.%2C%20Sept.%204%20%28AP%29.%20%20The%20death,his%20automobile.%20View%20Full%20Article%20in%20Timesmachine%20%C2%BB, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70804679/elmon-clay-middleton, https://www.nytimes.com/1935/09/06/archives/kentucky-holds-four-in-auto-bomb-killing-harlan-prosecutors-death.html, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/?fbclid=IwAR21nYphw4Dul-_EwuAmSWgzsvPLNwsMM0FtV75j0y-mGUHq-lCZjJxZot8, The Flatwoods Monster: Weird Appalachia Cases, Rotherwood Mansion: Weird Appalachia Cases, The Brown Mountain Ghostly Lights: Weird Appalachia Cases. The ones who love it love the depiction of rough and ready union brothers and sisters ready to wage war with the coal company thugs. The union, with all that it promised, is gone. You have to be on one side or the other. Staff at the Harlan Hotel seemed pleased to show us the bullets still embedded in the failing faade of the aging building. There was an addition to where miners could choose their own representation for these negotiations. Harlan County War Photos View All Photos (10) Movie Info Nearly everyone in Harlan County, Ky., works in the coal mines for Brookside Mining. Special to The New York Times. Harlan County: K.A. The miners revival, led by the UMWA, came in the wake of Franklin Roosevelt's election in 1933 and in their belief that only their union might save them. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Wanted to be able to spend their money at a store of their choice besides the Black Mountain Coal Company store. 3, LIMIT IN WAGE CUTS REACHED IN HARLAN: SCENE IN HARLAN COUNTY (KENTUCKY) INDUSTRIAL STRIFE. Wages at these mines came into step with the rest of the nation. Although these miners today have no union, the mines of Harlan County have a storied history of grassroots labor militancy. 18. In a very racy Instagram post promoting her new worldwide tour - which will see the pop sensation celebrate four decades of her greatest hits - Madonna turned to Amy to ask her the X-rated question. Director Tony Bill Writer Peter Silverman Stars Holly Hunter Stellan Skarsgrd Barbara Kopple's 1976 documentary "Harlan County USA" directly inspired this Showtime film depicting a Kentucky coal-miner's wife who gets involved in a strike that turns violent. The Harlan County War was a series of coal miningrelated skirmishes, executions, bombings, and strikes (both attempted and realized) that took place in Harlan County, Kentucky, during the 1930s. The Kentucky mining camps still had the paternalism idea in their mists and the ever-independent Appalachian people were not having it. The decision caused unrest in the county among the miners. Someone had planted dynamite in his automobile and when he started it up the car blew up. : The Harlan County Coal Miners, 193139, by John W. Hevener pp. The Harlan County Coal Miners, 193139 by John W. Hevener P. 81-123, Which Side Are You On? The strikebreakers were under the protection of private mine guards. The rank-and-file group Miners for Democracy was organized at the funeral. The Harlan County War pitted the United Mine Workers of America against mine operators within Harlan County. These disputes were still brewing when on December 8, 1934, the United Mine Workers Union was threatened by deputies and mine bosses. I have an Associates Degree from Hazard Community College and Technical School. The Harlan County War, or Bloody Harlan, was a series of coal industry skirmishes, executions, bombings and strikes (both attempted and realized) that took place in Harlan County, Kentucky, during the 1930s. No one knows who fired the first shot but when it was over four were . Wages are poor and safety conditions are even. Under this Act, the right to organize in ones workplace was granted as well as it outlawed any discrimination whether employed or seeking employment based on union membership. HARLAN WAR TRACED TO PAY-CUT REVOLT: Subsequent A.F. According to information on the Harlan County School's Facebook page, District Judge Scott Lisenbee performed the swearing-in during a ceremony in the Harlan District Court courtroom. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. The United Mine Workers union also cited that they did not have the resources to help in the battle. A giant step for miners.Harlan County War tells the true story of 180 families fed up with surviving on $1.89 per hour, with no health and disability benefits. There were shots exchanged and all three deputies and one striker were killed. However, before long, most of the remaining workforce had gone on strike out of sympathy. On May 5, 1931, the Battle of Evarts began. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter [25] Also, during the strike Florence Reece, wife of organizer Sam Reece, wrote the labor standard "Which Side Are You On? STRIFE IN KENTUCKY IS LIKENED TO WAR: Investigator Who Was Jailed New York Times. 2, Which Side Are You On? Reacting to the unrest created within Harlan's impoverished labor force, the United Mine Workers of America (UMW) attempted to organize the county's miners. With contributions by John dos Passos, Samuel Ornitz, and others, Dreiser produced a report called Harlan Miners Speak: Report on Terrorism in the Kentucky Coal Fields. Spread the loveOn July 5th, 1939, heavy rains in Eastern Kentucky led to massive flooding, affecting 21 counties with the worst of the floods happening in Rowan and Breathitt counties. 15, KENTUCKY TROOPS MOBILIZE IN HARLAN: Company Is Called Out as the Mine New York Times; December 9, 1934; pg. Organizer Garfield Lewis wrote, The people have been so starved out that they are flocking into the Union by the thousands I organized 9 Locals Tuesday.. A series of strikes, bombings and gun battles between striking miners and coal company guards, it lasted from 1931-1939 and established the UMW in eastern Kentucky, as well and giving birth to the labor song Which Side Are You On?. Again, Harlan County took center stage, this time at the Brookside Mineexposing, again, the poverty of coal country, as well as the vicious indifference to life of the owners, in this case Duke Power. The incidents involved coal miners and union organizers on one side, and coal firms and law enforcement officials on the other. There followed a decade of strikes in the coalfields, often wildcat strikes by some 40,000 young members, many veterans of the war in Vietnam. Others claim that his death was caused by an election concerning slot machines into the county. ", California labor activist Caroline Decker first became involved in union activities during the Harlan County War, when she and her sister participated in relief activities for striking miners.[26]. [4]:46 They operated under Sheriff J. H. Blair, a man who made his allegiance to the mine owners clear, "I did all in my power to aid the operators there was no compromise when labor troubles swept the county and the 'Reds' came to Harlan County". Harlan County War (89) 6.4 1 h 44 min 2000 16+ A Kentucky woman whose mine-worker husband is nearly killed in a cave-in, and whose father is slowly dying of black lung disease, joins the picket lines for a long, violent strike. Eleven deaths were directly linked to those conflicts, during which the National Guard was called in twice. With the added protection for workers and the addition of collective bargaining between the workers and their employers. Childers, K. (2014). MINE TRIAL WITNESS TELLS OF WHIPPING: He Asserts Union Men Applied ..; New York Times; December 1, 1931; HARLAN MAN LASHED UNTIL HE COLLAPSED: Witness at Jones Trial Says New York Times (1923-Current file); November 27, 1931; pg. In response to the violence, the Kentucky National Guard was called upon and arrived for the first time in the county to try to stem the violence. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". Between 19961998, 20112013 and 2016, the category was merged with, Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harlan_County_War_(film)&oldid=1118452017, Miners' labor disputes in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Outstanding Actress Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie (Hunter, nominated), Best Actress - Miniseries or Television Film (Hunter, nominated), Best Actress Miniseries or Television Film (Hunter, nominated), This page was last edited on 27 October 2022, at 02:38.