Mr. Weems, you’ve done a masterful job and I thank you for this article.

I am reminded of the 1923 Battle of Blair Mountain between mine owners and coal miners who were fighting for the right to unionize in West Virginia. Over the course of a week of intense fighting, a million rounds of ammunition were fired, Army bombers from Maryland were sent in to support the mine owners and by presidential order, the United States Army intervened and sent in the West Virginia Army National Guard – against the coal miners.

The coal miners, many of whom were war veterans, refused to fire on U.S. Troops and lost their battle. The coal miners went back to work getting themselves black lung disease and raising their families in company towns where their homes, shops, schools, and futures were owned – lock, stock, and barrel – by the mining companies.

A while back, I wrote an article titled California’s Plantation Culture in which, I wrote, “Today, Appalachia and California’s Great Central Valley (GVC) share the same socio-economic conditions. However, the nation’s highest concentration of poverty is in California’s central valley — not Appalachia. As old, old-timers often say, it’s still Mississippi 1955 in rural California.”

Since I quoted myself, I think I should offer the full context, but if that is not okay with you, please let me know and I will delete it right away. 😊 https://meraffey.medium.com/californias-plantation-culture-f2fc5696aad5

Clearly, I am also feeling good about the rise of unions and thank you again for a much needed history lesson.