The Battle of Matewan: 100 Years Later (Episode 1)

In the season and series premiere of Record West Virginia we travel to Mingo County to take a look at the Battle of Matewan. A deadly clash between disgruntled coal miners and the infamous Baldwin Felts Detective agency that turned the town's police chief, Sid Hatfield into a folk hero known as Smilin' Sid.
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[@inmyopinion651]

Great work. I ll be 60 in a few months and still remember my grandfather come in from work after a shift covered in coal dust. Black lung certainly played into his early death. I had heard all about the company store and the scrit. It was work for the mines, shop at the company store, and live in the company house for many WV mining families. Seems like ancient history and this is stuff that happened in a couple generations.

[@Justin-vj7hg]

If there was ever story that showed the dark side of capitalism in America it's the story of the WV Mine Wars.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@AppalachianOddity]

Very well done! The WV Mine Wars are a very important part of history for Appalachia, coal mining and union organization. I grew up in an old coal camp which still had old company houses. Great to see these kinds of stories be told and for that way of life to be spotlighted for those unaware of how people lived in these regions back then. Great job! Looking forward to the next episode!

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thank you for watching. Absolutely agree with the importance of the Mine Wars. Appalachian history in general is so under represented. We are just trying to do a small part to spark interest in it.

[@druanndalton1387]

My great great grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Maggard, served a the jury foreman that acquitted Sid Hatfield. I always love hearing stories about the whole ordeal.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

That is super cool! And yes, I could listen to those stories for hours.

[@calwolfe3094]

I heard these stories from my Dad during the 1950's. As a kid, I never really understood the true significance of this struggle. My Dad was a UMWA guy but seemed to understand both sides of the conflict. Any way you look at the struggle, it was a dark time for America.

[@CodyCheyenneNapier]

Thanks so much for having me be apart of this project. It turned out great.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

We loved having you on board. You were awesome!

[@AmberPrince]

You did a great job!

[@CodyCheyenneNapier]

Amber Prince Thank you so much.

[@nicolenapier8952]

This was great! I can't believe I'm a coal miner's daughter and didn't know the whole story behind the coal miner's war in Matewan, WV. Can't wait for the next episode!!!

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks for watching!

[@brittanytoler3139]

Please keep up the good work! Wonderful! My grandfather was once a president of the UMWA. So proud of his legacy.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

I come from Union stock as well.. Thank your grandfather for all he did for working people.

[@tradeswomanPat]

EXCELLENT! Lot of additional info I wasn't aware of on the subject. Perfect in length - enought to keep interested. ALL union people, no matter what union, should see this to understand what people go thru to get and then keep worker rights.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks for watching and I 100% agree. It's super important we realize the fights that had to happen for us to enjoy some of the rights we have today.

[@immersionsoundscapes]

Really enjoyed this! Learned a lot about this event (admittedly wasn't even aware of it until watching). It kept me very interested throughout, and Bill Richardson is someone I could literally listen to all day with his enthusiasm when talking about all of this! Looking forward to the next one

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks for watching! We hope that each episode will be as informative and entertaining! Keep watching and let us know!

[@AmberPrince]

Yes, he was great.

[@AmberPrince]

It turned out great. I love seeing videos that tell the history of the place where I grew up.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks, Amber! So glad that you liked it!

[@AmberPrince]

You’re welcome

[@YouSUBSCRIBE739]

@amber I agree...me too. I luv this type of stories.

[@smacl6301]

Very informative thanks. I came here having watched and really enjoyed John Sayle's movie 'Matewan' a few years back and it was great to get some additional historical insight.

[@tammysultimateimage4842]

Loved it, very interesting and informative, I had never heard of this story... you all done great in your presentation , looking forward to the next episode!

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks so much, Tammy! We're really glad you enjoyed it!

[@mikek4443]

Sid Hatfield is a hero to all of Labor.

[@labyrinth75]

I was born in West Virginia. My dad's side all grew up there. In 1980, my dad took us away from there. I grew up in Arkansas but spent summers with my grandparents in their little town in West Virginia. I have fond memories of riding around that town on our bikes with my cousins. The last time I was in West Virginia it was for a funeral. Most of the family I have there is gone. West Virginia is literally a dying state for me.

[@mradams3566]

Awesome video! I am related to some Napiers. My name is Zach Adams, my grandfather Charles mined in Harlan.

[@nathanreuschlein4840]

Well done, artfully made and skillfully presented.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. New Episodes coming next month!

[@AlexDKennedy]

Wonderful video, thank you so much for making this!!

[@damnablethief]

I am from Matewan...my Great grandmother lived through this stuff...lived in a tent during the mine wars. What is sad is that the mone companies are STILL predatory af.

[@annohalloran6020]

Solidarity forever!!!

[@RecordWestVirginia]

💪

[@brookes.4545]

There was a movie we had to watch in school (public school in WV in the 90s) I think it was just entitled "Matawan". Wish I could find it again!! I'd want my children to see it- we are from a mining family. And everybody knows WV kids know their State history the best in the Union!!

[@RecordWestVirginia]

GREAT movie! You can actually watch the full thing on KZbin here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqevqIKcgb90mLs

[@brookes.4545]

@@RecordWestVirginia THANK YOU!!!!

[@RecordWestVirginia]

@@brookes.4545 You're very welcome. I think it may also be on Amazon Prime as well.

[@brookes.4545]

@RecordWestVirginia literally watching it right now with my daughter!!

[@ronaldmccoy8994]

Really enjoyed this

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@rhess10]

Bullets still embedded in the walls of that corner building. Crazy.

[@AnthonyELewis]

Thank you.

[@510Redneck]

Man I just thought Sid had really bad teeth, I never knew it was fixed in gold because of the black and white photo's. I thought I knew this history pretty darn well but apparently I'm still learning so thanks for that bit of information.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it

[@blakegregory969]

A very Excellent documentary on the history of the Matewan Massacre. Sid Hatfield fought for the common man who was used and beaten down by the coal companies.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks so much for watching and for the compliment. Sid Hatfield was a true hero of the working man. Hard to imagine what the coal fields would look like today if men like Sid didn't take the fight to the coal companies.

[@jman6109]

Wow! That was so insightful and inspiring. Paula Jean and "The People's Party" informed me about the Labor uprising in West Virginia. Thankfully Politics has gotten less violent.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

For now. It does feel as though sometimes we are teetering on the edge of another violent episode in the name of human rights.

[@billk2742]

100th anniversary of the march on Blair is upon us. I was overjoyed to see my great grandfather Fred Mooney in this video. 8:41 that picture of two men standing in front of the U.M.W. of A sign. Fred is on the left with Keeney on the right. PEOPLE STOOD UP! They might of got there ass handed to them at Blair but a message was sent. May god bless my people!

[@RecordWestVirginia]

That's really awesome! That's a pretty famous picture

[@YouSUBSCRIBE739]

New sub...luv this kinda history!

[@johnchambers2996]

This action along with the Blair Mountain, where the U.S. Army was used to crush a union strike, are the salient reasons for the incorporation of the 2nd Amendment in our Bill of Rights contract. That self-defense is the main reason why certain politicos are working to "infringe" upon that right. Also, coal miners were the main reason for draconian British gun controls; the state likes unarmed people until it has need for them to be armed .... to defend the state in two of its world wars.

[@joeyj6808]

This was the time when unions were by and for the working rank & file. And that is why we had progress, and why we won. We need to get back to those days, throw the fat bastards who run all the unions out into the cold. And once again we need to have regular working folks run these unions. Also, Rest in Power Sid Hatfield, the last good cop.

[@grimmgirlsgolf]

They are still struggling.

[@toniblakeprojects]

Good job & congratulations 🎉🎈🎊🍾

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks for watching!

[@Rubiomon]

On the 100th anniversary of Sid and Ed’s assassination, I thank you for this great history piece. Solidarity.

[@billyb4790]

Don’t mess with a man with the last name Hatfield

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks for watching

[@SaadonAksah]

awesome!

[@RecordWestVirginia]

Thanks for watching!

[@BluntWeiser]

Sounds like endintured servatude, or something quite close to it. Corporations taking advantage of employees.

[@RecordWestVirginia]

It was worse than indentured servitude, at least at some point you would be released from it. These miners were trapped totally in these jobs as they weren't making real money that could be saved or spent in any other part of the country. They were stuck. Luckily brave men, stood up and stood against these injustices, and helped not only bring better wages and conditions eventually to the coal miners, but to all working people in America. Thanks for watching!

[@jlangdon1420]

Is there a record of the names of the miners that were killed or arrested?

[@RecordWestVirginia]

I'm not sure. But, I will search and see if I can't find one for you.

[@jlangdon1420]

@@RecordWestVirginia thanks

[@saltnutzzzz]

Michael Parenti brought me here.

[@jaytowne8016]

Jinky tin... another name for script.

[@scheistundzebreath]

"Two Gun" Sid Hatfield a hero.

[@msavina9129]

I watched another KZbin doc on Matewan n couldnt follow it. 🥱😴 This had my full attention.