The Mine Wars

February 26, 2024
The Great West Virginia Mine Wars of 1920 are unknown to most Americans, according to Watkins (Stolen by Night) in this relevant and enlightening read. Forced to work 10- to 12-hour days in unsafe conditions under the brutal treatment of a violent guard system for credits, or scrip pay only usable at their employer’s store, West Virginia miners attempted to unionize. The mine owners and state government responded by hiring local lawmen and “gun thugs” from Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, the mine guard company, to union-bust by terrorizing the workers; the gun thugs beat the employees and destroyed their homes, and the owners brought in hundreds of scabs to work the dormant mines. But the striking miners fought back, “igniting the greatest armed insurrection in America since the Civil War,” a yearlong conflict that only ended when federal troops were sent in. In spare and honest text, Watkins explains that the Mine Wars were a part of history that was not just overlooked but intentionally buried by “the powers that be in West Virginia, the coal owners and their politicians, ran a deliberate disinformation campaign.” Archival b&w photographs, newspaper clippings, and political cartoons throughout illustrate the miners’ hazardous working conditions, prominent figures, and common sentiments during this period. Sources, end notes and more conclude. Ages 10–14. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary.

February 1, 2024
Grades 7-10 Watkins takes readers into the mountains of southern West Virginia for a gritty, bloody tour of American history that's absent from most students' textbooks. Despite having dangerous jobs that put ridiculous amounts of wealth in others' pockets, twentieth-century mine workers were poorly paid for their labor. The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) sought to protect miners' rights to fair pay and safer working conditions, but anyone who joined the union could be (and usually was) fired and evicted from their company-owned home. Watkins introduces major players in what would become a series of armed uprisings--namely, the Matewan Massacre and the Battle of Blair Mountain--in 1920 and 1921 between blue-collar miners and the coal industry's powerful leaders. Watkins, whose sympathies are plainly with the miners, points out the rampant corruption among West Virginia's politicians and law enforcement, as well as the disinformation campaign launched to keep coal's reputation shiny. Archival photos and source notes add to the value of this compelling resource, which would make for interesting discussions in relation to climate change and the January 6th insurrection.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 15, 2024
In 1920, a group of West Virginia coal miners, previously fired for being union members, faced off against ruthless enforcers and mine guards. In the battle that followed against the Stone Mountain Coal Company, several men were killed. This was not the first incident in what was a decadeslong struggle spearheaded by the United Mine Workers of America to unionize the state's coal fields. The mine owners and operators had complete control of every aspect of miners' lives; they had no regard for job safety and used unscrupulous practices to cheat the miners at every turn. The miners were paid in scrip that they could only use at company stores, and rent for company housing was deducted from their pay. They faced poverty, brutality, and political corruption. In this meticulously researched treatise, Watkins compellingly details the struggles for union recognition--as well as violent battles, courtroom dramas, near-victories, and devastating losses--while providing clear, detailed information about people on both sides and using photos, newspaper articles, and quotes to great advantage. The exploration of relationships between white, Black, and European immigrant miners is fascinating; mine owners hoped to "divide and conquer," but the men who worked together eventually "became friends aboveground," finding a common cause. Watkins calls out politicians and mining companies for deliberately quashing mention of this history in school curricula and even presenting a false narrative in a book that remains on classroom and library shelves in West Virginia to this day. Fascinating and powerful. (map, sources, photo credits, endnotes, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from May 3, 2024

Gr 5 Up-Watkins tackles narrative nonfiction with a sobering account of the mine wars in Mingo County, WV, in the early 1920s. While mine workers in other parts of the country had successfully unionized with the United Mine Workers of America, those in western West Virginia had been unsuccessful. Watkins begins the book with the story of the Matewan Massacre, as unemployed miners revolted against mine owners and their hired men whose job it was to keep order. "Order" meant firing, attacking, or killing workers who even appeared to sow the seeds of union organization. Subsequent chapters highlight the harsh living and working conditions of the miners and their families, including details of fatal accidents and the practice of child labor. The rest of the book describes the increasingly volatile clashes between the United Mine Workers and mine owners, culminating in the Battle of Blair Mountain in the fall of 1921. Rich in primary source content, this volume has the photographs, maps, and firsthand accounts to give readers a thorough description of the actual coal mining process and the skirmishes between the two parties. Watkins likewise explores the current state of mining. The book is written in language appropriate for young readers and offers definitions of less-familiar terms, but the language is also passionate, demonstrating clear sympathy for the mine workers and union organizers. A complete bibliography and original source citations are appended. Violence is a major part of this work with some descriptions of beatings and killings; librarians and teachers should preview before giving it to younger readers. VERDICT A well-researched account of an essential historical account of the U.S. labor movement. Highly recommended for middle school readers and beyond.-Anne Jung-Mathews

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2024
West Virginia, the Mountain State, is also historically known for both coal mining and Appalachian poverty. Watkins explores the nexus between them in this overlooked chapter in the history of the labor movement. By the early twentieth century, West Virginia had emerged as a cheap source of coal, in large part because capitalism allowed wealthy mine owners to exploit workers. Coal mining was dangerous, the hours were long, the conditions deplorable, and the pay minimal -- often paid in scrip, currency accepted only at the company store. The tension between mine owners and labor unions came to a head in 1920 during the Matewan Massacre and in 1921 during the Battle of Blair Mountain. Watkins introduces the major players and aptly delineates the causes and effects of these bloody and violent events. He reflects on how this history has been erased from books on West Virginia, a history that could have served as a source of pride in resistance. He concludes with a discussion of the current state of coal mining, still a mainstay of the area's economy despite mounting national pressure to move away from fossil fuels. Numerous black-and-white photographs ably support the text, while sources, notes, and an index are appended. Jonathan Hunt

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
West Virginia, the Mountain State, is also historically known for both coal mining and Appalachian poverty. Watkins explores the nexus between them in this overlooked chapter in the history of the labor movement. By the early twentieth century, West Virginia had emerged as a cheap source of coal, in large part because capitalism allowed wealthy mine owners to exploit workers. Coal mining was dangerous, the hours were long, the conditions deplorable, and the pay minimal -- often paid in scrip, currency accepted only at the company store. The tension between mine owners and labor unions came to a head in 1920 during the Matewan Massacre and in 1921 during the Battle of Blair Mountain. Watkins introduces the major players and aptly delineates the causes and effects of these bloody and violent events. He reflects on how this history has been erased from books on West Virginia, a history that could have served as a source of pride in resistance. He concludes with a discussion of the current state of coal mining, still a mainstay of the area's economy despite mounting national pressure to move away from fossil fuels. Numerous black-and-white photographs ably support the text, while sources, notes, and an index are appended.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)