The Mine Wars: The Bloody Fight for Workers' Rights in the West Virginia Coalfields

By: Steve Watkins

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Synopsis: For fans of Steve Sheinkin and Deb Heiligman, a riveting true story of the West Virginia coal miners who ignited the largest labor uprising in American history.In May of 1920, in a small town in the mountains of West Virginia, a dozen coal miners took a stand. They were sick of the low pay in the mines. The unsafe conditions. The brutal treatment they endured from mine owners and operators. The scrip they were paid-instead of cash-that could only be used at the company store.They had tried to unionize, but the mine owners dug in. On that fateful day in May 1920, tensions boiled over and a gunfight erupted-beginning a yearlong standoff between workers and owners.The miners pleaded, then protested, then went on strike; the owners retaliated with spying, bribery, and threats. Violence escalated on both sides, culminating in the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain, the largest labor uprising in United States history.In this gripping narrative nonfiction book, meet the resolute and spirited people who fought for the rights of coal miners, and discover how the West Virginia Mine Wars paved the way for vital worker protections nationwide. More than a century later, this overlooked story of the labor movement remains urgently relevant.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 272 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9781547612192
Related ISBNs:: 9781547612185
Publisher:: Bloomsbury Publishing
Date of Addition:: 05/13/24
Copyrighted By:: Steve Watkins
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Children's Books, Nonfiction, Law, Legal Issues and Ethics, Politics and Government
Grade Levels:: Kindergarten, First grade, Second grade, Third grade, Fourth grade, Fifth grade, Sixth grade, Seventh grade, Eighth grade, Ninth grade, Tenth grade, Eleventh grade, Twelfth grade, College Freshman, College Sophomore, College Junior, College Senior, Graduate Student, Pre-Kindergarten, Undergraduate Student
Reading Age:: 10–14
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.