Coal Mining and the Black Lung Movement documentary
Ken Hechler is one of the stars of a new three-part documentary about one of the most important political movements in recent WV and American history - the Black Lung Movement, centered in Southern WV. The people at the Dept. of Labor, Charleston Black Lung Office, MSHA and others have produced this profound film, premiering it recently at the 30th anniversary of the WV Black Lung Offices. I borrowed Hechler’s copy and hopefully will gain access for more people to see the three short films.
The DVD has three separate films on it - “Black Lung: A History (MSHA), News coverage of 1960’s Black Lung Movement, and f inally “Reflections” which is a history of MSHA and federal government agencies over the decades that worked on protecting miners.
“Black Lung: A History” is vitally important to all future generations of not only West Virginians but all Americans. They need to learn about the power of local organizing and how it was possible to challenge the all-powerful coal companies, the WV Medical Assoc, and their federal and state minions that were finally swept aside thanks to the medical research of Dr. Don Rasmussen, Dr. Hawey Wells, and Dr. I.E. Buff, thousands of activist miners and their families, and one Congressman, Ken Hechler, who became their friends, brought them to Congress, and who finally got the first federal legislation passed that for the first time in American history set a limit on coal dust - the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969.
The film shows amazing scenes of WV Coal Assoc. leaders claiming that black lung wasn’t a problem. Davitt McAteer, a native of Fairmont, WV, as Assistant Secretary of the Dept. of Labor actually says on camera that some people, industry people, believed that coal was GOOD for your lungs because it would filter out things. I really enjoyed the actual footage of coal miners with black lung, showing on camera how devastating the disease is.
The beginning of the film gives an interesting history of attitudes toward black lung, in the US, Britain and elsewhere. The film shows that British leaders were much more aware of the dangers of black lung, and gave support to their coal miners much earlier than the U.S. Indeed, the US was the ONLY industrial nation in the Sixties that did NOT regulate coal dust. There were studies after studies, most claiming that the silicon in coal mining was the cause of any problems. Finally, studies in the US that showed that coal itself caused the problems were done, but the results were suppressed. The three activist MDS along with Congressman Hechler fought to have first the WV legislature and then Congress recognize the danger of coal dust to our miners.
In 1968 at the UMWA convention in Denver, Dr. Lorin Kerr of the UMWA Welfare and Retirement Fund spoke that it was time to fight for recognition of the dangers of coal dust. Dr. Kerr’s pleas were ignored by the top leadership of the UMWA. A study was begun studying thousands of miners. Dr. Rasmussen originated a blood gas analyzer to measure the oxygen levels of the blood to show the effects of coal dust. Dr. Wells talks about contacting Jock Yablonski of the UMWA , the other candidate for president of the UMWA. He was murdered after orders from President Tony Boyle, who died in prison after receiving a life sentence. There were rallies in southern WV and Hechler spoke at one rally of a wild cast strike that put thousands of miners on strike all over the state.
After the Farmington Disaster in 1968, the media that covered the disaster started looking into black lung. Miners went to the WV Legislature to tell them about black lung and other threats to their health. “Jeep” Hall talks about putting out the “Black Lung Bulletin,” distributing thousands of copies. VISTA volunteers helped the miners get the word out, most notably Craig Robinson who is interviewed several times in the film. Cecil Roberts, the current president of the UMWA, talks about WV passing the first black lung law and how Arnold Miller, a black lung activist, eventually became president of the UMWA. ( Both are from Cabin Creek.) Michael Kline sings his song, “Black Lung Blues” at the end of the film.
The news coverage was provided by Ken Hechler from the Vanderbilt Television Archive . The report states that coal industry people believed that the lung problems were caused by smoking, not coal dust. One of the best scenes in the report shows Dr. I.E. Buff speaking to the miners, first talking with a white hat (the image the coal owners want to present to the government) and then switching to a black hat showing how the coal owners really treated their miners. The report states that the U.S. is the only industrial country with no limit on coal dust and mentions that the black lung activists want to limit dust to 3 milligrams per cubic meter. Hechler announced that he will work to incorporate the 3 milligrams limit in to law. Tony Boyle, then president of the UMWA, states that the local miners should not be concerned about coal dust and the national board would discuss it - which they never did.
“Mining Reflections” gives an interesting history of the dangers of coal mining to miners. They worked 12-14 hour days, hand loading tons of coal. This film presents footage of famous mining disasters including the Monongah 1907 and Farmington 1969 Disasters.
Every student in WV public schools should see this film and be tested on it. School children around the country should also have access to it since it shows how negligent the state and federal governments were with regard to protecting coal miners. It also shows how influential American coal companies were in controlling their political leaders with the exception of Congressman Hechler and a few others.
For access to this film - contact - Richard Hanna at the Charleston Black Lung Office-
Charleston, West Virginia
Richard Hanna, District Director
U.S. Department of Labor
ESA/OWCP/DCMWC
Charleston Federal Center - Suite 110
500 Quarrier Street
Charleston, West Virginia 25301
Commercial: (304) 347-7100 Toll-Free (800) 347-3749
