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The Devil Is Here in These Hills West Virginia Coal Miners and Their Battle for Freedom James Green 9780802123312 Books

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The Devil Is Here in These Hills West Virginia Coal Miners and Their Battle for Freedom James Green 9780802123312 Books

Recently the PBS series "American Experience" featured a documentary based largely on the content of this fine book. As a native West Virginian, I am always interested in the history of my home state, but this part of its history was something of which I had only been vaguely aware, until now. Few people know that America's largest armed insurrection, aside from the Civil War, took place in the southern West Virginia coal fields, in 1921, culminating in the "Battle of Blair Mountain," which pitted nearly 10,000 armed miners against local authorities armed with World War I era machine guns and even bombers (the one and only aerial bombardment of Americans on American soil). It's the story of the rise of the UMWA, Mother Jones, the Matewan massacre, and a gigantic cast of real characters that spanned 40 years. James Green tells the tale in great detail, with an easily readable narrative flow, and plenty of documentation for those who wish to dig deeper into the story. Whether you are interested in West Virginia specifically or labor history, in general, this book is a fine introduction to a little-known aspect of our country's heritage.


Tags : The Devil Is Here in These Hills: West Virginia's Coal Miners and Their Battle for Freedom [James Green] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <div>From before the dawn of the 20th century until the arrival of the New Deal, one of the most protracted and deadly labor struggles in American history was waged in West Virginia. On one side were powerful corporations whose millions bought armed guards and political influence. On the other side were 50,James Green,The Devil Is Here in These Hills: West Virginia's Coal Miners and Their Battle for Freedom,Atlantic Monthly Press,0802123317,Labor & Industrial Relations,United States - State & Local - South (Al, Ar, Fl, Ga, Ky, La, Ms, Nc, Sc, Tn, Va, Wv),Blair Mountain, Battle of, W. Va., 1921.,Coal miners - Labor unions - West Virginia - History,Coal miners - West Virginia - History,Coal mines and mining - West Virginia,Coal trade - West Virginia,Labor disputes - West Virginia - History,Strikes and lockouts;Coal mining;West Virginia;History;20th century.,West Virginia Mine Wars, W. Va., 1897-1921.,Working class - West Virginia - History,1837-1930,Business & Economics,Business & EconomicsCorporate & Business History - General,Business & EconomicsIndustries - Natural Resource Extraction,COAL MINING,GENERAL,General Adult,HISTORY United States 20th Century,HISTORY United States State & Local South (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV),History,History - U.S.,History of the Americas,HistoryAmerican,HistoryUnited States - 20th Century,History: American,Jones,,LABOR AND THE STATE,Labor & Industrial Relations - General,Mother,,Non-Fiction,POLITICAL SCIENCE Civil Rights,POLITICAL SCIENCE Labor & Industrial Relations,Political ScienceLabor & Industrial Relations,Strikes and lockouts;Coal mining;West Virginia;History;20th century.,United States,United States - 20th Century,United States - State & Local - South,United States - State & Local - South (Al, Ar, Fl, Ga, Ky, La, Ms, Nc, Sc, Tn, Va, Wv),WEST VIRGINIA - LOCAL HISTORY,West Virginia,West Virginia Mine Wars, W. Va., 1897-1921.,Working class - West Virginia - History,Business & EconomicsCorporate & Business History - General,Business & EconomicsIndustries - Natural Resource Extraction,HISTORY United States 20th Century,HISTORY United States State & Local South (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV),HistoryUnited States - 20th Century,Labor & Industrial Relations - General,POLITICAL SCIENCE Civil Rights,POLITICAL SCIENCE Labor & Industrial Relations,Political ScienceLabor & Industrial Relations,United States - 20th Century,United States - State & Local - South,History - U.S.,1837-1930,Jones,,Mother,,Coal Mining,West Virginia - Local History,History,History: American,History of the Americas

The Devil Is Here in These Hills West Virginia Coal Miners and Their Battle for Freedom James Green 9780802123312 Books Reviews

This is an incredible account of a lawless era that rivals anything that happened in the old West. All the more amazing is that it happened in the 20th century 200 miles from Washington DC. When coal was king, there was no freedom or rule of law for most people. Shocking to read of the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, and American workers being machine gunned and bombed!
As a native West Virginian with family history in the mines this was a look at a bleak period in the state's history. While I am one who believes unions have outlived their usefulness (the welfare state takes their place, this was definitely a time when the union saved people's lives. The book shows what we can do with unfettered greed and evil. Unfortunately, still plenty to go around.
I really learned a lot from this book. Great stories about the people and events associated with Appalachian miners and their unionizing attempts. More people should familiarize themselves with the struggles of the unions to achieve the benefits we take for granted today.
I've lived in WV for the last ten years but had little awareness of the depth of danger and exploitation involved in earlier days of WV mining. I should have found out sooner,both to appreciate my adopted state's history and to further temper my belief in the merits of capitalism with the witness of the heartlessness that human selfishness and greed can spawn.

The story is well drawn, probably a task made more difficult by sparse and scattered original sources.
Definitely a worthwhile read for anyone with even the remotest interest in labor history or the earlier days of our glorious state.
A very good history of a much overlooked period in U.S. history.
I found it interesting that Mr. Green did not attempt to deify Mother Jones or UMWA's John L. Lewis. Without denying the parts that they played, he gives credit to the players who deserve it.
It is also worthwhile to remember that the "rank and file" miners did what it was necessary to do. That is to say that when their rights as citizens and workers were abrogated by government, mine owners, etc. they took matters into their own hands. A lesson for today...
My Grandfather, Great Grandfather, and most of their brothers all worked the mines in eastern Ohio back in the 20's thru the 60's. My Dad told me stories about the mine owners saying like the said in the book "Make sure that mule don't get killed, a man I can replace but mules cost money". He talked about the company store and how the mine owned all the houses where the men and their families lived. Also he said that my Great Grandfather had 3 pictures hanging on his wall Jesus, FDR, and John L Lewis. I had heard about the Coal Wars from a friend who lived in Mingo County WV ( I had never heard about it in school or even my family). This book really takes you there back in the hollows and hills with these miners and their families. It's really an eye opening read about how terribly these men and their families were treated before the unions came to the WV Coal Fields. I highly recommend it.
Though born in Maine my father was from West Virginia. Some of my grandmother's family worked in the mines and one died in the Nellis mine disaster. My dad worked in a chemical plant and lost his job when the union did not support them. In West Virginia I learned a new meaning for scab. This book helped me understand what I experienced in West Virginia and gave me a new understanding and appreciation for those who gave so much for freedom. Thanks to the author for giving me a glimpse into my family's past.
Recently the PBS series "American Experience" featured a documentary based largely on the content of this fine book. As a native West Virginian, I am always interested in the history of my home state, but this part of its history was something of which I had only been vaguely aware, until now. Few people know that America's largest armed insurrection, aside from the Civil War, took place in the southern West Virginia coal fields, in 1921, culminating in the "Battle of Blair Mountain," which pitted nearly 10,000 armed miners against local authorities armed with World War I era machine guns and even bombers (the one and only aerial bombardment of Americans on American soil). It's the story of the rise of the UMWA, Mother Jones, the Matewan massacre, and a gigantic cast of real characters that spanned 40 years. James Green tells the tale in great detail, with an easily readable narrative flow, and plenty of documentation for those who wish to dig deeper into the story. Whether you are interested in West Virginia specifically or labor history, in general, this book is a fine introduction to a little-known aspect of our country's heritage.