Life, Work, and Rebellion in the Coal Fields: The Southern West Virginia Miners, 1880-1922 2nd Edition Volume 16 - Paperback
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Life, Work, and Rebellion in the Coal Fields: Southern West Virginia Miners 1880-1922
This extensively researched historical account documents the turbulent four-decade period that shaped labor relations in southern West Virginia's coal fields. Between 1880 and 1922, the region experienced two protracted and violent strikes, competing union formations, and the largest armed labor conflict in American history—a week-long battle involving 20,000 coal miners against 5,000 state police, deputy sheriffs, and mine guards.
The events chronicled resulted in numerous deaths, over 550 indictments for insurrection and treason, and four separate declarations of martial law. Author David A. Corbin presents these violent confrontations not as isolated incidents, but as interconnected militant responses to decades of systematic oppression within the coal mining industry.
Breaking Stereotypes of Appalachian Mining Culture
This work challenges long-held misconceptions about Appalachian and coal mining communities. Through detailed examination of primary sources and historical records, Corbin dismantles outdated stereotypes and reveals the complex social, economic, and political forces that drove miners to collective action. The study provides critical context for understanding labor organization in extractive industries and the violent resistance that emerged when workers faced exploitation.
Second Edition Features
This updated edition includes a new preface and afterword by David A. Corbin, offering contemporary perspective on the historical events and their lasting impact on American labor history. The additions provide readers with enhanced understanding of how these coal field conflicts influenced subsequent labor movements and shaped regional identity in West Virginia.
David A. Corbin served as a Senate staffer for twenty-six years—six years on the leadership staff of Senate majority leader Byrd and ten years on the leadership staffs of Senate majority leaders George Mitchell and Tom Daschle. He also served as Senator Byrd's speechwriter for the last ten years of his career. Corbin is the editor of The West Virginia Mine Wars: An Anthology and the author of The Last Great Senator: Robert C. Byrd's Encounters with Eleven U.S. Presidents. He received his PhD in history from the University of Maryland and lives in Annapolis.
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