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which side are you on?
In the 1920s miners were joining unions in increasing numbers– for the most part they joined the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) led by John L. Lewis at the time. In most places as soon as miners joined they were blacklisted by mine operators and evicted from their company homes. That is what happened in eastern Kentucky in 1931 when mine operators locked out workers for voting to unionize. Locked out and evicted miners were not making money to feed their families and there was no one to provide aid to them. There were no state or federal safety nets back then.
On May 5, 1931 the pot boiled over; in Harlan County Kentucky, heavily armed deputies and company men, called “gun thugs” by miners, confronted disgruntled union men on a road near Evarts. The coal miners, lean and tough from Kentucky mountain life, knew how to fight back. No one knows who fired the first shot but when it was over four were dead—three deputies and one miner– with several more wounded. The next day soldiers entered Harlan to end the violence. The troops quickly joined forces with local rulers and commenced strikebreaking activities. By June the strike was over; union leaders were banished from the mines and 44 men stood trial.
Public out-cry when events became known nationally led a group of authors, including Theodore Dreiser and John Dos Passos, to visit the area to report on conditions. Under pressure the Governor later admitted:
“there exists a virtual reign of terror (in Harlan County), financed in general by a group of coal mine operators in collusion with certain public officials: the victims of this reign of terror are the coal miners and their families… a monster-like reign of oppression whose tentacles reached into the very foundation of the social structure and even into the Church of god… the homes of union miners and organizers were dynamited and fired into… It appears that the principal cause of existing conditions is the desire of the mine owners to amass for themselves fortunes through the oppression of their laborers, which they do through the sheriff’s office.”
Sadly, Harlan County’s troubles persisted through most of the 1930s, still known throughout the region as the “Bloody Harlan” years. In fact Harlan’s Depression-era struggle turned out to be one of the most bitter and protracted labor disputes in American history. The decade-long conflict between miners and the coal operators who adamantly resisted unionization was violent– miners (13) and gun thugs lost their lives.
The Harlan County class war provided the inspiration for Florence Reece‘s “Which Side Are You On?” In it she captured the spirit of her times with blunt eloquence:
Come all you good workers, Good news to you I’ll tell Of how the good old union Has come in here to dwell.
CHORUS: Which side are you on? Which side are you on? Which side are you on? Which side are you on?
My dady was a miner, And I’m a miner’s son, And I’ll stick with the union ‘Til every battle’s won.
They say in Harlan County There are no neutrals there. You’ll either be a union man Or a thug for J. H. Blair.
Oh workers can you stand it? Oh tell me how you can? Will you be a lousy scab Or will you be a man?
Don’t scab for the bosses, Don’t listen to their lies. Us poor folks haven’t got a chance Unless we organize.
As long as a single ton of recoverable coal remains underneath the surface of eastern Kentucky men and their families will likely be exploited to mine it.
Note: in 1973-74 another long bitter strike transpired at Harlan’s Brookside mine when the Duke Power Company refused to sign a UMWA contract. The strike, which is documented in the award winning movie “Harlan County USA“, also led to bloodshed. The documentary is excellent.
Citations:
Day, John. Bloody Ground. Lexington, KY, 1981.
Edith Fowke and Joe Glazer. Songs of Work and Protest. New York, NY, 1973.
Filippelli, Ronald, ed. Labor Conflict in the USA: an Encyclopedia. New York, NY, 1990
Parallel Narratives 
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My dad and his family lived and fought for the UMW in the 1920’s and 1930’s. I grew up hearing these stories. It made them strong. They left their memories of what will happen without organized labor in the hearts and minds of their legacies.
We must not be lulled into false security ever again.
I’m proud to say that I am a second generation miner. I was at the Labor rally in 1974 in Harlen County with Local 7455 to show are support for our brother miners. We met at a drive in theater and marched thru down town Harlen and somehow I ended up being in the documentary Harlen County USA. I’m marching to the left of the guy on crutches. I was 20 years old and I retired from mining last year.
Yes, I am another coal miners son. My Dad spoke of the 20’s and thirties in Harlan almost daily. He wanted to insure I always knew the bbn only way to get even a little fairness, was to fight for it.
His name was Willie Dixon
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I’m so proud of the miners. I don’t know anyone connected with this story but they are the hardest workers I know. They definitely stand tall.
My Brother,Albert is in the book Bloody.We lived there during this time.
My dad worked at the Three Point mines in the 1930’s
I have a chrome 45 revolver that was supposedly ordered by the sheriff during this period. I was told there were 4 revolvers special ordered. It has the barrel cut down with a rifle sight, cut away trigger guard so you can get the trigger easier. It has pearl handles. It is a custom made 45 on the old 45 DA frame. I need more information on this pistol.
My grandfather, Henry Madison Wilson, was a miner, , Harlan County, killed in a cave-in and was listed on his death certificate “blunt force trauma to the head”. How’s that for liars? My grandmother, Claudia, and 6 children were forced out by the company store with NOTHING. Moved to California and overcame injustice.
I married into the Blair family (Sheriff J.H. Blair’s son was my ex-husband’s grandfather). One of my darker moments in life.
My great grandfather was married to Eliza Skidmore and I have stayed at the log hotel there on Skidmore drive when I went with my father to see Harlan County
My father was born in 1936 in Evarts. Unfortunately for him he was born with a very much hated name and life for him was very hard and sad. All of the way into his teens he dealt daily with his name by beatings, shame, and was shunned by pretty much everybody. Although he sympathized with the workers it didn’t matter. His grandfather was a gun thug during the Battle of Evarts, and one of “high rank”. Somehow my father managed to make it through high school and fled when he graduated to become a good man despite his childhood growing up hated because of his name. I am just now learning more about my heritage and this very sad period known as Bloody Harlan. My father is an amazing man, for the last 5 years he has devoted a LOT of his time, and even money to “give back” to the town that hated him so much. Close to 90 years later there are still some that hate him, even though he had nothing to do with his grandfather’s position. At first I was shocked that he could be so forgiving, until I learned more about that period. I am still learning about this sad period so I don’t have all of the pieces to this awful puzzle, but on first thought feel shame that my great grandfather had a position of authority for the wrong people. I am assuming that Joanne Thompson Skidmore is my age, and likely lived in the area as she refers to it as darker moments in life. So I guess that had I grew up there I would have had a rough life as well…still, after all of these years. Sadly, like my father, I understand. I just wish that the town that my father still loves, would be more forgiving to a man that is trying to give back. A man that had nothing to do with his grandfather’s actions.
well, since I wrote this I have learned a LOT more about this period and my families involvement. I misspoke in my previous post but can not figure out how to delete or edit my post. My great great grandfather was EB Childers, a mine superintendent during the battle of Evarts. He gave a lot to the community in the beginning, but unfortunately became a target because of those hard times. I am not entirely sure what the relationship was like between my grandfather and Jim Daniels, but have heard many stories about my GG grandfather. I have to believe he was a good man, doing his job as told by mine owners. In the end, after 3 attempts on his life he was basically “assassinated” and died of gunshot wounds. Ironically, I have a “step” GG grandfather that was on the other side during the “battle” and what lead up to it. Al Benson was his name and he was imprisoned for conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Jim Daniels. Now, imagine my grandfather living in that community, and what life was like for him. From what I understand he was held responsible in some way and had a hard life living in that area. Then my father was born in Kenvir in 1939. He had to deal with the hate of his name well into his teens some 20 years AFTER the battle. Yet my father still has love in his heart for the place he was born and grew up in. Well into his 80’s with heart problems but still working on cool things for that community. I dont understand, but I guess there are a lot of things about that period I dont understand. “Which side are you on” held true well into the 70’s? So very sad for people that want to work, but under poor conditions.I can only hope that my ancestors had good intentions, and do believe they did.
I married into the Blair family (Sheriff J.H. Blair’s son was my ex-husband’s grandfather). One of my darker moments in life.
I was born at pine mt. my dad,Arthur Smith was a miner and my grandfather Pearl Cornett was a miner,we lived in Everts for a while.
To Debbie Cornett Ramsey,
my name is Jennifer Barton, my mother is Betty Jo Cornett from Evarts Ky, I remember my Granny telling me about my Unlce Marshalls daughter , he name I belive is Debbie. Just curious if you are relatd to us.
My email address is: jennjennv@hotmail.com
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My dad, Bert Boggs was with the union miners. He left Harlan in the late 1930,s. Rumors got out that the company had a contract out on him. My brother is named John Lewis Boggs after the late labor leader John L Lewis.
Remembering the battle in the mines during the Harlan County War https://soundcloud.com/user660132316/hard-to-tell-the-singer-from-the-song
My dad tom irvin from totz ky. Was a coal miner also.that was hard work.
Eva Steele,
Any relations to Madeline cornett?
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My great grandfather, Will R. Hamlin, was said to have died in Harlan, KY in 1938. Supposedly a hit and run accident as he walked alongside the road. Anyone have any info, obit, newspaper article on this event? Thank you.
My grandp, Joe Nantz worked for a coal mine and lived in Harlan in Harlan County. He lost part of his sight after a mine explosion and died of heart disease and Black Lung disease in the early 1960’s. I wish I’d had a chance to know him and ask him about those times. I’m sure it must have been terrifying.
Sue Nantz Grace
Phoenix, AZ
My family is from Harlan. My uncle Minner Turner was shot in the 70s coal strikes. My dad would tell us story’s of bloody Harlan. My great grandpa died in the mines. Loved going there as a child.
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Tribute to Florence and the Harlan County miners https://soundcloud.com/user660132316/hard-to-tell-the-singer-from-the-song
My mom’s grandparents ran a boarding house in Evarts for the miners, and I understand many worked for the White Star mining company in the 1920s. The family name was Cole, and I grew up hearing many stories about that area, as well as stories about the Hensleys in Wallins Creek. I love learning more about these dear people, and the communities they lived in.
Wallens creek…good Lord haven’t heard that name since the early 70s. I married a marine who’s family was from there. We drove there from Lejeune monthly. His family was James And Vandetta Stewart. I’ll never 4get the men in town all with pistols on their hips and really deadly moonshine..
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My dad was a miner in benham our house was on pine st went to school there what a time we had my dad to fight for his family set up at night to keep us safe I could tell everybody a lot stories .By the way my was Clyde Bond. do any him ?
Does any one have any information on script? I seem to remember “Blue Diamond Script” from the mines located in Lynch Ky. I believe this was either a part or all their pay before unions
History 7
What led up to the mine war in 1931 was miners were joining unions in 1920’s with increasing numbers– for the most part they joined was the UMWA led by John Lewis at the time. In most places as soon as miners joined they were blacklisted by operators and evicted from their company homes. That is what happened in eastern Kentucky in 1931 when mine operators locked out workers for voting to unionize. Locked out and evicted miners were not making money to feed their families and there was no one to provide aid to them. There were no state or federal safety nets back then.
On May 5, 1931 the pot boiled over, in Harlan County Kentucky. Big armed deputies and company men, called “gun thugs” by miners, confronted some union men on a road near Evarts. The coal miners, lean and tough from Kentucky mountain life, knew how to fight back. No one knows who fired the first shot but when it was over four were dead—three deputies and one miner– with several more wounded. The next day soldiers entered Harlan to end the violence. The troops quickly joined forces with local rulers and commenced strikebreaking activities. By June the strike was over; union leaders were banished from the mines and 44 men stood trial.
2. I would have been on the miners. How else did they expect them to make a living and bring home money and put food on the table for their wives and kids?! If you were raised up into the coal mining you’d respect it enough to know sometimes that’s all a person can do. It’s a hard, rough, and incredibly dark job. People probably die out their everyday while mining coal from rocks and hillsides collapsing on them.
looking for a miner that killed another man with a pickaxe to the head
Dose any one still live in benham know the Bonds or James or Styles Douglass this will children in the 30es or 40es we had our house on Pine St.
my mother grew a few streets away from Pine st
My family daddy uncle and more was part of the whole thing.dad never said much about anything to many bad thing I guess maybe he wanted to put it behind him.he live to be 92 years old he was in the union 71 years local 119 bell . Co ky
Ernie Shell is a conman and scammer .