WV Labor History Association - showing WV labor films
Dr. Fred Barkey and other people in WV including union leaders started the West Virginia Labor History Association in 1977. Many members are still in the group. Presently Gordon Simmons is the president of a group of about 100 members including myself.
Dr. Barkey, the author of several books on Belgium glass workers, The Socialist Party in WV, and others, retired from Marshall University Graduate School in 1999 but has kept very busy, with writing and chairing the Coal Heritage Trail Authority.
I was asked to join the board after I attended a program at The Logan Public Library with Robert Shogan, author of a new book called “The Battle of Blair Mountain” in July 2004. I had known about the group for a while, mainly from WV State film archivist Richard Fauss and Dr. Barkey.
Since then I have been attending monthly meetings, and programming film events. The on-going WV film series at The South Charleston Museum actually began because of a new film by Bill Richardson, “Mine Wars,” sponsored by WVLHA in August 2004. This film includes an interview with Dr. Barkey who was also interviewed by local filmmakers for their film, “Organizing America – A History of Trade Unions.” (see full description at bottom of this column) Almost 300 people came to this Kanawha Valley premiere, jumpstarting a monthly WV film series that continues to this day.
Each year during May, National Labor History Month, I have found some great films to show starting in May 2005, bringing Jack Spadaro and Davitt McAteer together for the first time since McAteer lost is position when President Bush won election and Spadaro was forced out of his job as the director of the Mine Safety Academy in Beckley. McAteer introduced his great film, “Monongah 1907″ and Spadaro introduced Appalshop’s film, “Sludge,” which is about the Martin County Sludge spill - and Spadaro’s involvement with finding the cause. George Daugherty played music, and William C. Blizzard and Wess Harris were present, selling copies of Blizzard’s book, “When Miners March.”
Since then we have shown “The Wobblies” in November 2005 in honor of their 100th anniversary, sponsored the ONLY showing of the restored “Harlan County, USA” in May 2006, hosted the world premiere in February 2007 of Karen Vuranch’s film of her one-woman show, “Coal Camp Memories” and most recently, screened Shawn Bennett’s “The Battle of Local 5668″ and Luis Argeo’s “AsturianUS” in May 2007. ( See earlier entries on this film blog about the last two films.) On November 10th, in conjuncton with The South Charleston Museum, WVLHA will be presenting the WV theatrical premiere of Christopher Janus’ autobiographical novel translated to film, “Good Bye, Miss Fourth of July.” Mr. Janus, 96, will be traveling from Chicago to introduce the film.
During the last few years WVLHA has been working on preparing a WV labor history map that will be given to every 8th grader in the state. WVLHA has also inducted various individuals into its WV Labor Hall of Honor for the first time in six years - see list below. (They are looking for a building to display all of the plaques for the members. To see it visit the lobby of the AFL-CIO Stanley Building on Sullivan Way, near downtown Charleston. ) They co-sponsored an exciting exhibit of paintings by Connie West last fall at the WV Cultural Center and gave Wess Harris money to plant a tree near the grave of the only person killed by the infamous Bull Moose Special, Cisco Estep.
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WV Labor History Hall of Honor Members Year Name
1979 Walter Reuther and the Reuther Family
1980 Mother Jones
1980 Eugene A. Carter
1981 Miles Stanley
1982 Paul Rusen, Sr.
1983 Bob Edwards
1983 Rene V. Zabeau
1984 Larence Barker
1984 V. Gayle Miller
1985 Glenn Armstrong
1986 Arnold Miller
1986 Miners for Democracy
1987 Paul Headley
1987 Ned Guthrie
1988 Charles A. Spurlock
1989 Percy Ashcraft
1990 Opal Mann
1991 Joe Shy
1993 Jim Bowen
1993 USWA Local 5668 Ravenswood
1997 Joseph Powell
1999 Jack R. McComas
1999 Archie S. Jarrell
2005 Frank Keeney
2005 Daniel V. Maroney
2005 Bethel Purkey
2006 Bill Blizzard
2006 Ken Hechler
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WV filmmakers created this excellent film on the history of unions in America -Organizing America – A History of Trade Unions1994 40 mins.
Cambridge Educational Using interviews, personal accounts, and archival footage this film tells a compelling story about the struggles and triumphs of American workers. Broadly tracing American labor history from the formation of the first “friendly societies” in the 18th century to the challenges posed by new technologies in the 1980s and 90s, it explores the unique combination of individualism and cooperation that characterizes the American workplace. Historical context provides viewers with a fresh perspective on important issues. Interviews with veterans of labor struggles yield fascinating personal insights into the saga of organized labor and its sometimes violent origins. The commentary of labor historians as well as union, business, and government officials helps to identify and explain significant events and influences that have changed the workplace over the last 200 years. In exploring the history of trade unions, the viewer encounters a series of important developments that have shaped American society as a whole: wars, the industrial revolution, immigration, unemployment, Marxism and class conflict, women in the workplace, the Depression and the New Deal, crime and corruption, civil rights, and the emergence of high technology. Made in West Virginia, WV labor experts such as Dr. Fred Barkey, past president of the West Virginia Labor History Association, and many West Virginia labor leaders are interviewed. Access: WVLC and Cambridge Educational .
