The Truth About Bloody Harlan County Kentucky!

the information in this video was gathered from newspaper articles in the Harlan daily Enterprise, the Louisville Courier-Journal and the New York times
and the wonderful books by William Forester, Harlan County in the turbulent 30s and Harlan County goes to war.
you can contact us at [e-mail]
and
PO Box 134 Grays Knob KY 40829
For more stories of bloody Harlan click this link • TRUE STORIES of Bloody...

[@stanblanton7798]

The sad part is the amount of coal and money made from this area versus the amount of money pur back into these communities is shameful. They took full advantage of tbe folks from this area in many ways. But, they became multi millionaires why the folks mostly lived in poverty.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

True. Thanks Stan!

[@victorcornet21]

Amen, brother! My dad was a proud member of the UMWA, who worked at Brookside. He was perfectly willing to work. He only demanded that he be paid what he earned.

[@1PamGordon]

The union history must be preserved

[@maxcore2023]

well, the same happened everywhere nowadays, untap of that, imagine the amount of money your gov WASTE! overseas instead of rebuild your roads, bridges and entire towns.

[@heatherfulmore3412]

I can't believe the amount of poverty in that place.

[@willieoakley2336]

To my my dear wonderful Kentucky friends iam asking for your prayers for me iam going to have two tests and they are going to go inside me to check in my colon for cancer and my stomach and under my armpits I need as many of the wonderful people in Kentucky Tennessee and Virginia and everyone else to say a prayer for me I have had prostate cancer once and iam so afraid I may have it again so please thank y'all and to my wonderful Kentucky friends and papa coyote God bless y'all and God bless 🇺🇸 praise God Almighty ✝️

[@terrybane6206]

Best wishes from North Carolina Willie.

[@markblanton7241]

I pray that God heals you. From this horrible disease.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

God bless you Willie! I'm going to put a post up tonight requesting everyone to pray for you! We love you and pray a blessing of peace, strength and healing for you Willie!🙏🙏

[@stevepenney2073]

Harlans always been regarded as one of the meanest places in the south and it really was.

[@kellyshelley9309]

All my people are from Harlan. All my kin are buried there. Taking my boys back down home to show them their roots. Everybody buried in Jellico Creek cemetery. Thank you. My papaw is featured in the book “Hell In Harlan”.

[@Joe3pops]

1974ish, there was a Time-Life article regarding a coal miners daughter whom went to NYC to bring to public attention the plight of coal miners and thier families in Appalachia. Superb presentation.

[@johnyy1911]

The suffering of coal miners not only helped to win 2 world wars but also helped to establish union workers rights nation wide in other labor unions. I think the name Bloody Harlan although not true today helps people to remember or learn about the historical events that created rights for union workers.

[@therooster1339]

The world wars were lost though..

[@lewiskevin1]

The term "Bloody Harlan" may not be the nicest nick name, but I'm sure that there are many that might look at such a name as a badge of courage. It is what it is. Great video once again. Thanks.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks Kevin!

[@bondoly66]

I'm not a union person but unions seemed to be absolutely needed in the coal towns. Those coal companies need to be indicted for how they took advantage of the people. The best people in the world were from here. Good natured and loving and forgiving people seem to be the people that are always taken advantage because of the pure nature of who they are.

[@randym.7238]

My father and some of my Family lived in Harlan County and were all Miners. Others lived on Pine Mountain , Black Mountain and in the mountains of Tennessee. My Dad didn't say a lot about it but sometimes told me about His childhood growing up hunting in the Mountains. I was in my 20s when we visited Harlan to see his uncle. When we entered the town, My Dad said "Welcome to Bloody Harlan." I was shocked at the Poverty and Alcoholism in my My Family. Good People and grateful for what had, which wasn't much. This video told me things my Dad never did. Thank you for this video.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thank you Randy for taking the time to share this with us, it makes the effort we put into making these videos worthwhile when we find out they've touched people like this.

[@heather3249]

Same! My Grandpa was. Coleminer then. My Dad was born in Crummis in 1944 and had older siblings. Knowing what I know of my Grandpa's past, He had to be involved in this.

[@castlelord8995]

Great Great video. I've seen the Academy award winning documentary "Harlan County USA " Your videos do a great job of showing the beauty of the area!!

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thank you CL I appreciate that!

[@beverlysmith8025]

Excellent documentary. My father, Glenn Preston Brooks, watched it when it came out and recognized several people. He was born at Black Joe and his father worked at Brookside.

[@CaffeinatedCatLady]

My great Uncle (Music) was killed in this tragedy.... his wife and 5 children were devastated but the people of Harlan helped build a home he had started and helped them so Much

[@JonDough-412]

That’s awesome to hear! I’m from Pittsburgh Pa. I now live in Butler Pa. Pittsburgh would never do something like that. Butler… maybe. But very cool, to hear about people helping one another! Rip your uncle sorry to hear that and I hope your family is blessed! 🙏

[@gregoryvanover5099]

I just wanted to say this is awesome I live in Cincinnati and this we're my family is from but my dad or grandpa would talk about my grandpa was a cool miner back in the 4o when he got out of ww2

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

The name “Bloody Harlan” is that little towns claim to fame. They aren’t making award winning TV programs with world class actors about other little towns in Kentucky. Everybody knows about Harlan. I would imagine the people who live there want it that way.❤️🤗🐝

[@lizklein3058]

I grew up with my maternal grandfather working in the mines and both he, my grandmother and mother telling about the coal mine killings and activities. I recall my grandfather telling us there was a couple of times he didn’t report to the mine for fear of what might be waiting there for them.

[@debrawhite751]

That's so sad that your grandfather was in fear of his health and safety or maybe even his life, just for wanting to go to work!

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Tough times to say the least.

[@LeadRakFPS]

Was he non union?

[@IgnitedCoyote]

The information I I given in this video is sourced from articles in the Harlan daily Enterprise, the New York times, and books by William D Forester. I realize many people have accounts passed down through their family of the Harlan County coal mining wars but while I'm sure most of those are true I could only use documented historical facts in this video because I wanted the information to be as accurate as possible. I gave no information in the video I could not find at least two separate printed accounts of. Thank you for watching. For more stories of bloody Harlan click this link kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2rXpIqPf6elrNk

[@randycampbell8892]

Thanks Coyote, excellent video ! You cleared up some things I had heard as a kid ! A name you mentioned brought back a memory, When I was a baby 1958, we lived in Stanfield . Well told story, Thanks so much !

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks so much for the kind words and the support Randy, it's appreciated very much!

[@hatchetjackphillips]

Good video. I remember my grandparents telling stories about the those strikes in the 1930’s & 70’s.

[@bluecow2655]

another example of corporations not giving a hoot about their workers. of socialist unions taking advantage of working men for the unions gain not the benefit of the membership, and the Gov. coming down on side or the other but never on the side of the working tax payer.

[@mayrayken2]

It’s strange , I never considered it a heritage they had to live down but always a pride of hard working men fighting for the rights to a fair wage and better life . A great trip back in time , I do appreciate it , thanks !

[@danielazure275]

Took me some thinking before I decided if I wanted to comment on this video . There's much more to be said about this subject , too much for me to write here . First I will say that most of the people in Harlan County are some of the best people in the world . During the time frame you mentioned in this video coal miners were treated worse than animals . In other words , the coal operators thought much more of their animals than they did of the men that were making a fortune for them in their coal mines . By the time I was old enough to work in the mines the coal miners were treated more like human beings , in most instances that is . My Grandfather , and my Uncles have told me many stories about how terrible coal miners were treated . Much too much to mention here . One example , if a man was killed in the mines he was laid along the coal rib , or gob , and his body had to lay there until the end of the shift . No special trip was made to take his body outside . His body wasn't taken outside until the man trip ran at the shift change . Back then men hand loaded coal into rail cars , bank cars , and they got paid by how many cars they loaded in a shift , or by the ton . I was told many stories of men getting shorted , or beat out of some of their daly tonnage . When I first started in the mines I had the great fortune to work with some old miners . Miners that could remember when they used Mules to pull coal cars out of the mines . One old miner said that a coal operator told him , "Don't take my mule into a dangerous place where it might get hurt , I can hire another man , but I would have to buy another mule". Then there's the stories about the company stores . This is a whole other story in itself . Now if my brother coal miners had been treated like human beings instead of some type of subhuman slave , then there would have never been any need for any unions . BTW , I can remember very well what happened at Brookside in the early to mid 70's . I worked in the mines with many of those men . If anyone would like to know more about Harlan County in the 30's a book entitled Hell In Harlan by George J. Titler might be very enlightening . I have written a long post here , but I haven't even scratched the surface pertaining to this subject . Very good video , thank you for posting .

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thank you very much Daniel for taking the time to write this. There's no such thing as too long of a post on this channel, especially one as insightful and thought provoking as this one. What you're talking about would make a great video itself. Once again thank you so much for taking the time to share it with us.

[@oliviayarbrough7185]

Have you ever heard of JW Wyatt. I thought he worked at Brookside.

[@nabailey51]

Thank you from a Bailey....

[@hgoodin1013]

Have you watched Harlan County USA? It's here on KZbin for free. It's about what happened at Brookside in the 1970s. I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it. My husband was born in Harlan County back in the early 1950s in a camp in Gray's Knob. His father worked in the mines down there and was shot during the violent times back in the 1930s. My husband still talks about the company store and the blocks of cheese. So many stories from my mother in law (now passed) about those days. It was a hard hard life.

[@judygreen9916]

Talking about suspeious , here is a couple for you both. One is "if you put 2 forks in someone's plate, it means someone you know is getting married" Another is, "if you take a piece of bread, and got bread your plate, someone is coming hungry"

[@davidjones9518]

Union was good 👍 hard times scared people bad things took place In ky and tenn virgina😢

[@tacratt6091]

About all those mean,hard working men from Harlan County are dead and gone! I was born and raised in HC.lived at Highsplint during the early 70’s strike! Harlan will always have the reputation, just don’t have the men now to back it up! Well not many anyway! I remember growing up, there was some hard core men here. And women! The women never had it easy here, most worked themselves to death!

[@susanwillis9184]

I had to order the book Bloody Harlan from Amazon. It's out of print. I get different looks at times when I tell people I'm from Harlan. Lol

[@IgnitedCoyote]

I got a lot of the information I used in this video from two wonderful books by William Forester. Harlan County in the turbulent 30s and Harlan County goes to war, sadly I believe both of those books are out of print now

[@susanwillis9184]

@@IgnitedCoyote I didn’t read either of those books.

[@courtneyy4559]

Awesome video, and I must agree Harlan is an absolute beautiful area. But as the wife of a 5th generation coal miner there's a level of pride for the courage those miners from the past had that contributed to the name "bloody harlan ". My husband currently mines Harlan County coal daily with a great appreciation for those who came before!

[@kylegadd8993]

The locals of Harlan embrace the name because it is their heritage. And it can all happen again at any time.

[@CRASS2047]

Both sides of my family are from Harlan. My Grandfather was a coal miner from the mid 20’s to the late 50’s. I wonder if he was involved in this stuff. His name was Nathan Dingus

[@dannyhaley7610]

harlan county needs to have new industry coming to this county instead of our govenor andy beshear sending new industry everywhere else.i hope that govenor beshear sees my post because he needs to help harlan county get new jobs here and new industry instead of sending them elsewhere over the state of kentucky.its the truth.

[@cjsrescues]

My family, the Lewis, Burley was my grandfather and Jesse my dad all worked these mines. Ive heard my dads stories about Bloody Harlan and how bad it was.

[@atlanteansoul]

Harlan County looks like a lovely place and I don't think it deserves the title with the "Bloody" prefix considering how long ago the recorded events happened. Living in the UK this town only came to my attention by the TV show "Justified" which helped to put this beautiful town on the map. I was obsessed with that show and how the characters were portrayed and was really sad when it came to an end. Even with the horrible act of taking someone's life which should never be glorified, you got the impression the people of that area were sportsman like and when they had the drop on you instead of killing you right away, they told you stories and gave you the false impression that maybe you had the chance of getting away or gaining the upper hand, instead the man with the gun is just toying with you to make killing you more interesting which I find the psychology behind it fascinating. What I also like is the music played in these parts and absolutely love the track "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" and it's many versions by special musicians. I appreciate a TV show may not give a true impression of such a wonderful place and the best way to honour this town is to visit and meet the people which I would love to do. God bless Harlan County.

[@scottthomas3792]

I thought the coal miner related violence was only back in the late '20s or early '30s..I didn't know it went on into the '70s.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

I thought I knew most of the stuff when I started researching this video but I was really shocked how much there was and how bad it got at times, and you got to think there had to be some stuff that never made it to the newspapers. Thanks for watching Scott we appreciate it!

[@drawncept8391]

This era of coal where northerners dictated the mines was unbelievable. Just like Cabin Creek and Blair Mountain.

[@michelestone3194]

Well when the Chinese finally get here this is one place they're not going to want to visit

[@jeffbell6663]

Great documentary. I've been through Harlan many times and there are great people there just like hundreds of other small "Mountain" towns in Kentucky.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thank you

[@jackccrofootjr7228]

Essentially the Stock Market had just crashed, 1929, and put the US in the Great Depression. The Harlan County Coal Operators' Association decided to use this calamity to drop the price of coal to below the cost to produce it, to get the Nation dependent on Coal again because JD Rockefeller's Standard Oil was replacing coal as the major source of Energy. The Owners dropped the wages of the Miners by 10% to accomplish this goal, thus this brought in the Union's who saw a money making opportunity get the Miners organized and in their Unions, the Miners organized as the United Mine Workers (UMW) to fight the Company Owners. Greed by the Companies and the Unions, with the working miners caught in the middle of the money battle. The majority of the fighting happened starting in 1931 when the Mine Owners dropped the Miner's Wages. The fighting slowed in 1939 after the Mine Co. allowed the UMW Union into their mines.

[@LeadRakFPS]

That was your spoon-fed story anyway.

[@kamily8288]

I grew up hearing stories about Bloody Harlan. You didn't want to be there especially after dark

[@amyheltonwalker]

We love Harlan County, my Dad especially.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks Amy!

[@amyheltonwalker]

My parents and I are catching up on the videos. My Mother has been in a lot of pain and will be having back surgery soon. We got behind on the videos. We enjoy these so much. You do such a good job.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks so much Amy! And prayers for your mother. My wife still has a lot of back pain after our car accident.

[@ronzeller4471]

My grandfather Steve Gray my grandma my mom her sister and brother lived in a Cole camp in the black mountains. My grandpa worked in the coal mines. If anybody knew Steve Gray I would love to hear from them to get to know my grandpa little better he died when I was two

[@susanwillis9184]

My parents were young children. They remembered some.

[@koleske83]

My grandmother (Farley’s and Cooks ) and her people are from Harlan

[@NATESINTERACTIVEAUTO]

Great information, The founders family samuel Howard vs the Turners is the first I had seen my current and hometown Harlan dubbed Bloody Harlan. I would love to hear about it previously being wet and the incidents you mentioned.

[@keithtyler9372]

M

[@debkrummreich3883]

My dad and his ancestors are from Harlan! Many of my dad's ancestors were miners. He told me stories of the Benito miners camp! Mr.Coyote where are you from?I miss the applichia people and mountains.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

We're from Harlan.

[@musclecarmitch908]

Awesome video Coyote! It's great to hear about this part of history from Harlan! Thanks for sharing it with us!

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks for watching Mitch, we appreciate it!

[@nickknickerbocker6415]

🗻 Good Commentary ~ Good Camera Work 📸 🎵 Artist🧞‍♀️Patty Loveless🎙Song✨️You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive ⛏️⛏️⛏️

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks Nick!

[@kentuckywindage222]

As far as the name, it's no different than being known for the worst thing you've ever done. Sadly it is rarely the opposite. Especially in small town Kentucky.

[@bradwolfe2993]

the disregard for life and authority of the law is shocking, pure hate revenge, back then. no excuse for murder, for work, or a dollar. would take shallow character, having no concience to live with it. lots of good folks, families who endured and who lived it out. attests to the power and perseverence in will to overcome. God fearing , great people, salt of the earth you are. in Jesus Christ's name I stand alone, Amen

[@apocyldoomer]

I think Merle Haggard had a song about Harlan County…..

[@billywhite3020]

Love all the videos when you going to do a story on macks in harlan ky

[@MrImog65]

My brother was in Vietnam and he had written on the front of his truck bloody Harlen

[@MarkGedvillas]

My grandpa wrote a book called Growing Up Hard in Harlan. It’s used at UK for state history purposes. He told me all about the coal wars.

[@susanwillis9184]

Rhondas great grandfather George Lee was mentioned a lot in the book. He was a gangster. That's a recorded fact.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Wow!

[@bl8680]

My grandpa was part of the coal miners union and fought for safer working conditions not just fair wages. I mean, who in their right mind would work under those conditions? Corporate greed was a big problem back then ...and still is today in most other industries. My grandpa ended up getting killed by crushing injuries at the age of 36. He left a wife and 10 kids. My mom was just 11 years old. The coal company didn't leave my grandma much money after that. They should all be shot. But greedy people running those coal companies are all dead by now and been judged by God a long time ago. Those companies didn't live by the scriptures of paying fair wages and loving your neighbor as yourself. I lost out before I was born cause I didn't have a grandfather. My heart is injured by it to this day and Im a grown woman. I stare at my grandpa's picture taken in downtown Harlan. Such a handsome man with a kind face. My mom said everyone loved him cause he was so positive and stood up for what was right. Bloody Harlan is an incorrect label that doesn't reflect the truth of what the coal miners were standing up against. BTW my grandma's little brother Clayton Sizemore was also killed along with my grandpa Edward Mills that day as well. He was only 24 years old and just got back from the war. So grieviously sad indeed. The people of Harlan were exploited.

[@TT-yr5ck]

My grandmother talked about Bloody Harlen

[@davidcarpenter7383]

Choices where few back then hard working folks 😊

[@sonyatolliver8180]

My husband is from Evarts he has mentioned the term Bloody Harlan and I never knew why it was called that , thank you for this video

[@davidgoff357]

My mother lived in Harlan ,i have 3 brothers that were born there.

[@nowannamcwhirter5878]

My great grandfather is Jesse James Pace. He was killed in the line of duty.

[@nowannamcwhirter5878]

Grand father not GREAT

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Wow! Was he the Jess Pace killed while attempting to bring in the suspects in the brutal assault in William forester's book I talked about in the video!

[@rockerchic1968]

I live in Knox County and no way is Harlan any worse than any other county

[@MrImog65]

My daddy was in the United mine workers and he was a coal miner he talked about them scabs yes they hated them I said they was taking their wages for cheaper wages away from their families and stuff and why they would be furious I've heard some stories in my lifetime through my family.

[@terrybane6206]

Those incidents were a testiment to the tenacity of proud hard working Kentucky mountain coal workers through the decades. Although violent, these events are important area history and should not be "lived down"......

[@IgnitedCoyote]

I agree Terry. The video is solely about the name bloody Harlan and how Harlan County come to be known by that name. Certainly the legacy of men fighting for a honest days pay for a honest days work as I said in the video, can be remembered and honored while at the same time pointing out Harlan County is no more bloody than any other place in America. After all Los Angeles isn't called bloody LA because of the numerous and violent riots they've had. Thanks for giving me a chance explain that Terry.

[@ljcwilliams777]

My father is Stanley Alton Worsham my name is Lisa Williams in jefferson county Ky his father was named named Ethan Worsham and his mother was named Onia Hurt and my moms mother was named /Anna Laura Long and her husband was 'named Joseph Thomas Perdue

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks!

[@larry1824]

Beleive the scary stuff. These people have nothing to lose

[@gordonstroup882]

It's a sad day when one dies over not being a member of a union. What right do men have to take a fellow neighbors life over a job? I realize that these men and their familys were basically slaves to the mines, but it would have been better to of ganged up on the mine owners and told them that they weren't going to take it anymore and shut the mine down until the owners were to give in. I know that most, if not all of those families knew something about farming and they could have formed a work co-op to help each other, to be able to feed one and all. Anyway, I would like to say God bless those who died, were killed, were murdered, and i pray that the lord took them in and gave them peace and that their families were ok after loosing their husband's and fathers to their children and grandchildren. Thanks for the story & video of that horrible time in the history of the miners.😮❤🇺🇸 GOD BLESS AMERICA🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@lisareaume3857]

I ain't takin' nothin from y'all but we out here in the Ozarks have our own crime ridden times. When God isn't in the place then you will have crime.

[@kimbay7045]

When I watched the show Ozark, I very much reminded my of things that have happened in Harlan

[@Sharper_Than_Most]

As a Harlan county native this was very well done!!

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks

[@MrImog65]

Wow how long has that bridge been closed? I've heard of some of the niners or someone was supposed to have been hidden up on a bridge and shot one of them scabs as they were called wonder if it was this one.

[@willieoakley2336]

Thanks! Hey guys I remember on the local news here in Knoxville about what went on in Harlan Kentucky it was so awful what was going on up in n Harlan so sad

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thank you and God bless you! Many, many prayers going up for you Willie.

[@susanwillis9184]

I was there last weekend. Had my picture taken under the umbrellas. Neat. Had fun. I got to go swimming too.

[@Marg205]

I have two little homes that were once camp houses at a coal mine from Harlan. They were bought from the coal company, dismantled and brought to Leslie County Ky and reassemble. I wonder about the families that once lived in them at the coal mine camp.

[@gpt465]

That is where my people came from!Beautiful place. Left a long time ago but still miss it!Love being from there!Proud of it!Thanks for sharing. Haven't been seeing your post lately!Glad to know you are still onThanks!

[@loganwilson5457]

My mother was born in Harlen County in 1932 Middleton, thanks for your videos, use to visit grandmother in mid 60ths. Mother she married a Wilson out of Pennington gap Va.

[@kevinbyus5669]

My great grandfather was from Jackson great grandmother from hazard and grandpa was from Harlon they all moved to run from the poverty n coke mines to Cincinnati

[@tobyyawn24]

Is it because Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder lived there. Lol

[@0xymoRonZzZ]

Them boy's up there ain't shy when it comes to a fight of any kind...fuck the drop of a hat; them boy's in them hill's are the reason the hat drops 🤣 Just like Boyd or Raylan left it's mark on our thoughts of Harlan plenty of guy's built just like em from growing up in them hollers...they truly don't give a fuck lol 🤣

[@johnathanlewis2049]

Interesting and informative video. How many years or generations does it take to live the violence of the past down? I don’t know.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thank you Jonathan!

[@billyjackwashburn6970]

My mom was born in the Homes Mill section of Harlan County in 1928, and my dad not far away on the Virginia side. So my mom grew up in Harlan, but she pretty much always said good things about growing up there. Never heard her speak much about the problems with the miners etc. I too was born on the Virginia side but didn't hear it called Bloody Harlan until years later.

[@YTatheist]

are any of the places from these events still standing, or long lost to history?

[@IgnitedCoyote]

The places like the commissary building at Mary Helen are the ones where the events happened

[@doublexl4253]

Great work! I really enjoyed this one.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks XL!

[@michaeldavid8991]

Thanks for sharing. Remember my grandma talking about those times

[@Adam52947]

Came here after watching justified im guessing the entire show is about that state history.

[@lynnsparks510]

My family is from Harlan county my grandpa was a deputy sheriff back in the 30s his name is Daniel Russell they lived in Coldiron ky, my grand parents and my mother always called it dixie town I just thought this info would be helpful.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks Lynn!

[@donaldbeamer3563]

Some of the poorest but happiest people in the USA. Their way of life has been upset by the balance of progress. Just know that these good folks live with the fear of the Lord in the hearts and the Love of God is in them.

[@babe3819]

Very informative. Thanks for the video.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks for watching Wanda!

[@51-Broke_Bones]

I was born there. August 4th 1980

[@debrawhite751]

Thank you for revealing the facts behind the reputation. I wonder how many of the violent thugs that instigated these attacks were local and how many were sent in from other places to intimidate people who wanted to work.

[@jackccrofootjr7228]

The Coal Companies hired the Pinkerton Agency (a so called private detective agency) who at that time were known to be violent thugs (enforcers) to infiltrate unions, supply guards, keep strikers and suspected unionists out of factories, and recruit goon squads to intimidate workers. These were in essence a hired paramilitary force that had no gov't oversight. They worked for the highest bidders to do their dirty work.

[@debrawhite751]

@@jackccrofootjr7228 Read the history and tell me who did the attacking and who struck first!

[@jackccrofootjr7228]

@@debrawhite751 In Harlan Co. almost all of the developed towns were owned by the Coal Companies. As a matter of fact, the Companies owned the mineral rights under even the private homes and properties. Under the Company Towns property rights, all of the worker homes were owned by the Company and rented out to the workers and their families. Even the Stores were Company owned. The Workers were paid in paper scripts that could only be redeemed as rent payments and to by anything at the Company stores or gas stations. When they ran out of script money the Company Store would start a tally account for them that they never seemed to be able to pay off. (listen to Ernie Ford's Song "16 tons and what do you get...") There were only about 3 small areas that were not owned by the Companies. Evarts near the City of Harlan was one of them. As the Companies found out which employees wanted to join the Union, or were Union Organizers, the company fired them and evicted them from their company owned homes. Most of these strikers/families fled to Evarts. May 5, 1931 (about 3 month after the Companies cut wages) The Company had hired "Scabs" to replace the striking miners. (this was before they put in the new highways that replaced the old curving road passing through Evarts, that was the only way to get to the City of Harlan) The company scabs, hired thugs accompanying the supply cars and trucks on their way thru Evarts to Harlan were ambushed by the Strikers. "The striking miners waited for the motorcade near the Evarts railroad, and as the motorcade approached them, a single shot rang out. No one knows who fired it, but each side blamed the other. The motorcade halted, and deputy Jim Daniels, one of the most hated anti-union deputies in the county, jumped out and hid behind a rock.[5] Daniels raised his head to fire at the miners, but as soon as he did so, he was fatally shot and killed. The exchange of gunfire lasted for fifteen minutes, with an estimated 1,000 shots being fired. When it ended, the three deputies and one miner lay dead." There had been many minor disputes and baseball bat beatings before this, but this was the biggy that began the more intense violence on both sides. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5y1iqiDptxgeJI

[@ericroberts-ds2bz]

@@jackccrofootjr7228 Does not give you right to murder, they had two feet, get to walking. Shame they didn't mow all the violent miners down, that would solved the problem from the jump. Then the ones who wished to work (during a depressions when 25% of people had zero work) anyone was lucky to have a job, you union people are getting and have your just dessert, jobs all leaving/left for overseas. Union commie thugs.

[@susanwillis9184]

I agree with your last comments Coyote.

[@ReedThomas71]

You need to do a documentary on why Breathitt county, Jackson Ky is called “Bloody Breathitt”.

[@rhondaward7155]

Thank you for the information. I love it in Harlan. They do need to loose the bloddy name!

[@JudyDuduks-gm4rb]

I was born on Pine Mountain. Was adopted and only visited there afterwards occasionally.

[@TheCowboylogic]

Good video. Now do one on Bloody Breathitt. Breathitt is the absolute worst county in KY.

[@lindamedicke8220]

Since you're doing coal mines do whitesburg Kentucky

[@IgnitedCoyote]

We're planning to do whitesburg. Thanks for watching Linda!

[@DBAllen]

My mother's father was involved in this as a coal miner back then.

[@susanwillis9184]

Lots of violence happened at the Louellen Hotel. Remember that place I bet.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

That would make a great video itself.

[@susanwillis9184]

@@IgnitedCoyote It sure would.

[@Nawojczyk]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@larryhatfield7372]

My great great grandfather,which was a union man , was sent to Harlan to assassinate a superintendent of a mines back in the 30s

[@stephanien2286]

My great great grandfather was assassinated by the union in 1930s. His name was Bill Randolph. He was the sheriff.

[@johndevincenzo5319]

Thank you for telling this story.

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Thanks for watching!

[@therooster1339]

wHy dO cIvILiAnS nEEd aR15'S

[@AfroViking300]

Did they actually shoot some of Justified out there or what. That's what I wanna know when

[@IgnitedCoyote]

Some promos were filmed in Harlan and when the show signs on the scene of the back of Marshall gibbons' head with his iconic hat on is actually the producer of the show wearing the hat and that scene was filmed in Harlan when the producer and other members of production team visited Harlan for a week, I don't think much if any of the actual show was filmed in Harlan.

[@markb2112]

Check out the Homestead Strike, or Haymarket Square Riots. The war will never end. And MANY counties are FAR bloodier than little Harlan. As bad as it likely was over there, compared to other union-company fights, the Lord showed those brave folks a little mercy in the end.

[@gelkins2207]

Thanks for this video. My family moved to Indiana from Harlan sometime between 1950 and 1960. I heard a lot of folks with the last name of Jones mentioned. My great grandfather was a Jones, I’m assuming some sort of family connection existed. He was employed by the Mary Helen Coal Co. Found that on his draft card but not sure what he did for them. I’m fortunate to have gotten to spend a lot of time with my great grandparents when I was younger. Best people I’ve ever known. Always had an interest in the history of Harlan.