Stinking Creek-- John Fetterman 7. -A goddamn scab. In addition to his other wholesome activities, he's on the board of trustees of Freedom House, along with other freedom-lovers like Kenneth Adelman and Malcolm Forbes. In Episode 2 of the The Drunk Projectionist, producer and host Todd Melby interviewed Barbara Kopple about Harlan County USA, her impressive first film.The 1976 documentary won an Academy Award. Strikers exchanged gunfire with private guards and local law enforcement; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten. The 1976 documentary won an Academy Award. Hes driving the pickup and there is a passenger in the pickup and youre learning in from the passenger side. If you followed that road, it would take you to the mine. Shortly after the end of the strike, the UMW faced another national obstacle when their contracts across the country expired. I didnt care. Registered users can login to the website. A goddamn fella when he tried to do somethin. OVERVIEW. Lois Scott pulls a gun out of her dress and said something like, I started out with a switch, but now Im carrying a gun. She kept it between her breast in her bra! Though most workers felt disillusioned with organized labor, the NMU's radical ideology gained some support, ten local lodges sprang up before the Harlan County NMU was officially chartered. <p> Get your payments electronically sent to your checking or savings account to help achieve your goals. . Harlan County,USAis available onDVDfrom The Criterion Collection and in theUSAon Film Struck. Marshals office is situated. Aging autocrat and UMWA president John L. Lewis agreed to allow the employers a free hand in mechanizing the mines. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. On May 5, 1931 the pot boiled over; in Harlan County Kentucky, heavily armed deputies and company men, called gun thugs by miners, confronted disgruntled union men on a road near Evarts. The incidents involved coal miners and union organizers on one side and coal firms and law enforcement officials on the other. The strikers received some of the highest strike benefits ever paid by the U.M.W.$80 a week for a single man, $90 for a couple and $100 for a family. There followed a decade of strikes in the coalfields, often wildcat strikes by some 40,000 young members, many veterans of the war in Vietnam. So you see what's happened to the union movement for coal miners. Barbara Kopple: I dont know. Computer and Internet Use. Working miners made as little as eighty cents a day and worked only a few days a month.". Still, there is a spirit that lives in Harlan, along with the ghosts of battles past. Growing Up Hard In Harlan County: G. C Jones 4. Harlan is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Harlan County, Kentucky, United States. What happened to Billy C Bruner? What was the outcome of Harlan County strike? Billy Carroll Bruner, 39, a foreman at the Eastover mine, was wounded in the . Todd Melby: And then you decided to cut right from there to a shooting. We would do it in Tennessee. The 103-minute film reaches its first dramatic climax at around the hour mark, when the Womens Club stands in the roadway to the mine, singing and facing down the sheriff and the scab labor in a convoy behind him. Sometimes, we hear her voice off-camera, asking questions, including a scene where she confronts the chief company enforcer, Basil Collins. I didnt know it. Todd Melby: Did your microphone or recorder get damaged? Boy, "The Overthrow Them Governments" business must pay pretty good and the work looks fairly steady. I also learned later too that he was in WWII and he survived the Bataan Death March. Three company men and one striker were killed in the exchange of gunfire. Barbara Kopple: I guess that day was the scariest moment because I went up to one of the organizers and said, Do you think theyre going to shoot at us today?. We are left with the sense that the struggle will continue, as it has for generations. Lawrence Jones, 22 years old, a union member, was wounded in a shootout during the weekend, and died yesterday. This is based on the events in Harlan County, Ky. during the early 1970's strike. The strikers reported attempted bribery to denounce the union, being shot at numerous times, having dynamite thrown at them, shots fired into their homes, and constant verbal threats. Kopple trained in the cinema verit tradition as an intern for Albert and David Maysles on films such as SalesmanandGimme Shelterand later on the Vietnam activist filmsWinter SoldierandHearts and Minds. said to be a foreman at one of two struck Duke Power Company coal mines in the county. 13Month Strike is Ended By Kentucky Mine Accord, https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/30/archives/13month-strike-is-ended-by-kentuckymine-accord-the-union-target.html. The miners lay in ambush for cars carrying company men, and shot at them. That made me think a lot too. [10] The Kentucky National Guard was once again called in on December 8, 1934, requested by UMW organizers who had been threatened by bosses and deputies. As documented in the film "Harlan County, USA," the strike was hotly contested, with the company bringing in "gun thugs" from outside that tried to hide their firearms from the cameras documenting the strike. To plant trees in memory, please . It was settled in 1819 by Virginians led by Samuel Howard and was known as Mount Pleasant until renamed in 1912 for Major Silas Harlan, who was killed during the American Revolution at the Battle of Blue Licks (August 19, 1782). They were talking about it and I was able to raise $12,000 as a loan from somebody and off I went to film the Miners for Democracy. Todd Melby: How many minutes would fit in [one reel of film]? Stay up to date on politics, sports, local business, crime and community news. Liam Lacey is a freelance writer for Original-Cin.ca and POV, Canadas premiere magazine about documentaries and independent films. Retrieved from: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iyQqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pEYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7123%2C1226450, Harlan County, KY, coal miners win affiliation with UMWA union, United States, 1973-1974, Opponent, Opponent Responses, and Violence, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International. For the episode of Justified, see, Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Murder of workers in labor disputes in the United States, List of incidents of civil unrest in the United States, "Hall of Fame: Power of Arts & Creative Expression -", "TROOPS WATCH AS HARLAN VOTES: Turbulent County Ballots Heavily", "TROOPS AGAIN MOVE ON HARLAN COUNTY: Occupation of Kentucky Area", "Prepare to Meet Thy God: War in the Harlan County Coal Fields", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harlan_County_War&oldid=1133850196, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 20:44. The Harlan County War, or Bloody Harlan, was a series of coal mining-related skirmishes, executions, bombings, and strikes (both attempted and realized) that took place in Harlan County, Kentucky, during the 1930s. Revisiting Barbara Kopples Harlan County, USA. -What happened? The greatness lies in its enduring emotional power. Todd Melby: Wow. UMWA itself assisted in larger actions. Todd Melby: Another scene that involves the gun thug was the confrontation that was on the road during the daytime at a place in the road where [striking coal miners] previously hadnt attempted to stop the scabs from crossing. Crawling kingsnake (6:09) Louise (4:24) Poor boy a long way from home (4:09) Stay all night (5:44) Going down south (3:49) Coal black Mattie (3:48) Do the romp (5:01) Sad days, lo On February 16, 1931, to maximize profits, the Harlan County Coal Operators' Association cut miners' wages by 10%. Do they still mine coal in Harlan County Kentucky? Todd Melby: What was the scariest moment for you? Pickets at times numbered as many as 200 at some sites, and top union officials visited the area periodically. He treats each of his patients as if they are part of his family. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. (Photo by Bill Bruner/The Flume) With a population of 1,504, Harlan has a combined rate of violent and property crime that is very high compared to other places of similar population size. 1 Award (404) 851-8000 . They believed that the strikebreakers would be more hesitant to use violence against women. IN Bill Rogge . Welcome to Beba's world: we're all just visiting. Harlan became one of the poorest counties in the United States. The smaller but more passionate NMU made greater relief efforts than the UMW, opening several soup kitchens in the county. The Most Famous Person Born in Harlan, Kentucky is Nick Lachey. Billy Carroll Bruner, 39, a foreman at the Eastover mine, was wounded in the shootout and charged with the killing. Scott describes the murder of Lawrence Jones by Billy Bruner. But he didn't come home that night. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The women got a car that they called the Booster Car, which was a big station wagon and they pushed it across the railroad tracks so that the strikebreakers with Basil Collins couldnt get through to get to the mine. Her presence, and the presence of her video camera, is believed to be a factor in decreasing the violence used against the strikers. Everybody had guns. Bill Bruner William Herbert Bruner, Jr., 82, of Owensboro, died January 6, 2021 at Norton Hospital in Louisville, KY. California labor activist Caroline Decker first became involved in union activities during the Harlan County War, when she and her sister participated in relief activities for striking miners. Here is an edited version of that conversation. Only late in 1939 did intransigent Harlan coal masters reluctantly sign on with the union. Miners in Harlan County, Kentucky, have drawn national attention with their direct action occupying a railroad track to halt a coal train until the miners get paid the wages they are owed for digging it up. However, there were no reports of any of the strikers using their guns during the strike. Barbara Kopple: That was that scene, and little did I realize that he was very tough, and all the people told me after, Youre in big trouble now!. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 2.54. The company also agreed to abide by any agreement reached between the union and the association in their new contract for 1974. I had a purpose and I could ask questions and I felt okay. The SLU was largely seen as serving the interests of the mine owners rather than the workers. The union, which had said that the mining company had refused to recognize its authority to represent the miners, had promised to continue the Brookside strike until a settlement was reached. Florida statutes already say sexual battery of a child under 12 is a capital felony, but it has been effectively moot because of Supreme Court rulings barring the death penalty in such cases. written by Florence Reece in 1931 during strikes that earned the community the name 'Bloody Harlan.'. There are many dangling questions, large and small. The union staff, now led by a Montana official . To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". save the topic. I probably still am. Hes asking you for your press pass. Its a very supportive time now for documentaries, so dont be afraid; follow your instincts and go for it and dont let anyone stop you. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Mr. Bruner was shot by someone in the crowd when he tried to leave. The strikers made bumper stickers supporting their cause and drove around the community in a truck with loudspeakers to explain their grievances and hopefully gain support. POV is Canada's premiere documentary magazine in print and online. In doing so, they would also ensure two secondary objectives: establishing a worker's Safety Committee and increased hospital and medical benefits. We wore machine guns with semiautomatic carbines. Shortly after Jones' death, 29 August 1974, the Eastover Mining Company offered a contract to the striking workers. Staff at the Harlan Hotel seemed pleased to show us the bullets still embedded in the failing faade of the aging building. By June the strike was over; union leaders were banished from the mines and 44 men stood trial. Subscribe today and get a yearlong print and digital subscription. although I think he was mostly thinking of the assaults on character caused by an oppressive society like 1930s Germany rather than the assault on your character via the goodies you can buy if sell out. The 2000 television movie Harlan County War starred Holly Hunter. Harlan miners started to organize in the 1920s, a struggle that culminated in a long and violent strike in 1931. I heard about Harlan County Miners for Democracy. They say in Harlan County, there are no neutrals there Youll either be a union man or a thug for J. H. Blair Which side are you on? Todd Melby: If I remember correctly, one of the very close opening shots is the miner going into the coal mine on a horizontal conveyor belt. Striking miners in the coalfields of southern West Virginia forced the Republican governor to sign a bill that allowed compensation for black lung disease. We dont see you, but we can hear you interact. Within Kentucky, more than 96% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Harlan. Barbara Kopple: We were all in a meeting. The workers' salaries were comparable with other miners throughout the country, so the issue of salary was not addressed. I remember Aronson from the 1980s -- a big wheel in the contra propaganda apparatus. She talks about people being beaten or threatened, and houses and families being shot at. See, the pissants carrying offa goddamn mans brain. The coal miners, lean and tough from Kentucky mountain life, knew how to fight back. WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (UPI) Striking mine workers and the Eastover Mining Company reached agreement today to end a 13month strike that had caused one death and economic hardship to the communities of Harlan County, Ky. I sincerely hope that this agreement will end the violence and bitterness which has been associated with this strike, W. J. Usery, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, said in announcing the agreement. Barbara Kopple: On a conveyor belt, yes. Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On gives the iconic singer her due. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I went to wikipedia to look for the quote from Brecht's The Jewish Wife about how character was a thing that could be measured in units of time, but I couldn't find it. Anyone know of some others? While hes layin over in the hospital dying. Along with opposing the UMWA union, Eastover management also wanted a 'no-strike' clause to be included in any final contract. I think the meaning of this strike goes beyond a single contract at a single coal mine, Mr. Miller told a newsconference. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. What this means is that Harlan County as a political unit and cultural construct is that old; however, the history of modern Harlan County begins with the movement of people of European origin along with, in many instances, the people of African origin whom they held enslaved into southwest Virginia . Strangers were kidnapped, then lucky if they were just taken to the county line. Bobby Simpson, 79, has been blind for more than a half-century, but still managed to shovel coal. Martin County, Kentucky Currently, Martin Countys population is one of the poorest in the United States. In 1959, when Lewis retired, the union had been reduced to 180,000 members, and the southern coalfields, Harlan included, were non-union once again. Barbara Kopple: Yes, and he would hire the scabs that would cross the picket line who were trying to break up having a union. Piercpton, IN COUNTY AUDITOR J D Geiger P O Box 29 N Webster IN COUNTY RECORDER Betty Dust 107 W . I can't understand how people sell out so completely. [4]:32 Only three of Harlan's incorporated towns were not owned by mines, hungry and evicted workers and their families sought refuge in them, primarily in the town of Evarts. It was directed and produced by filmmaker Barbara Kopple . Some women in the BWC stabbed a police officers after he had dragged one of them away from the picket line. Todd Melby: The great thing about that scene is that we hear your voice and see him, and it sets up the viewer getting to know who this guy is and the duplicity. [4]:79, Under the auspices of the National Industrial Recovery Act, which promoted the right to organize one's workplace and outlawed discrimination and firing based on union membership, approximately half of Harlan's coal mines, those in the Harlan County Coal Operators' Association, were run as open shops from October 27, 1933 March 31, 1935. Which side are you on? But the strike still caused economic hardship, especially among the poorer people in Harlan County. [4]:67 Florence Reece, wife of organizer Sam Reece, wrote the labor standard "Which Side Are You On?". Todd Melby: His name is Basil Collins. By June 17, the last mine had returned to work. Some people say, 'I don't take sides I'm neutral.' Its a reminder of the countys heroic history of struggle and solidarity. Cal Winslow is the author of Radical Seattle: The General Strike of 1919, along with Labors Civil War in California. The county will change the lawsthey have . The miners revival, led by the UMWA, came in the wake of Franklin Roosevelts election in 1933 and in their belief that only their union might save them. He was born on May 1, 1938 in Owensboro to the late William & Gertrude Bruner. Barbara Kopple: Yes and know that if you are passionate enough about it, people will help you. For one thing, the chronology is messy. [6][7][8] The most violent attack by mine workers occurred on May 5, 1931 and became known as the Battle of Evarts. 82.7%. Martin County What happened to Bill Bruner Harlan County? Follow, Now on HBO/Crave, Oscar nominee ALL THAT BREATHES is feat of visual poetry about how we treat our fellow animals and humans https://povmagazine.com/all-that-breathes-review-a-wing-and-a-prayer/, Pamela Anderson enjoyed a homecoming for the Canadian premiere of PAMELA, A LOVE STORY in Toronto last night https://povmagazine.com/pamela-anderson-attends-canadian-premiere-of-documentary-in-toronto/, Kingston Canadian Film Festival announces livline-up of homegrown favourites for #KCFF23. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". https://povmagazine.com/kingston-canadian-film-festival-announces-2023-line-up/. The NLRB Administrative Law Judge, Manrice Bush, concluded, "From the record as a whole, I find and conclude that Eastover deliberately insisted on the nonacceptable no strike clause for the purpose of avoiding coming to terms with the Respondent union on any kind of collective bargaining agreement.". Nearly 30 percent of county residents live in poverty, and most households earn less than $30,000 a year. Harlan, city, seat of Harlan county, southeastern Kentucky, U.S., in the Cumberland Mountains, on the Clover Fork Cumberland River. Despite headway by the unions, the battle for Harlan County between labor and capital continued. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Mr. Bruner was shot by someone in the crowd when he tried to leave. On July 1, Blackjewel LLC abruptly shut down its six Harlan mines, filed for bankruptcy, and sent the miners home without pay. IN PROSECUTING ATTORNEY FOR THE 54TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT CONSISTING OF THE COUNTY OF KOSCIUSKO Michael L Miner R 2. An incredible woman named Florence Reece wrote a song called Which Side Are You On? and it pertains to almost every single struggle, whether its a labor struggle or something else. 9MM Beretta and an AK-47 style assault rifle were stolen during the robbery that happened at the Longs' house. Without external sources, viewers are unlikely to see the causal links between the 1968 Farmington Mine disaster, the murder of Joseph Yablonsky and the 1972 election of reformist Arthur Miller, whose efforts to bring the Brookside miners into the national miners union precipitated the strike. He sold out quickly. By then, a powerful UMWA represented 400,000 working miners, promising safety at work and an escape from the poverty that had consumed generation after generation. How many minutes would fit in [ one reel of Film ] the striking workers strikes. Coal miners a meeting upon and beaten Canadas premiere magazine about documentaries and independent films the times does alter! Crime and community news as 200 at some sites, and died.. Local law enforcement officials on the events in Harlan, Kentucky Currently, martin Countys is. Propaganda apparatus been blind for more than a half-century, but still managed to coal... Attorney for the cookies in the coalfields of southern West Virginia forced the Republican governor to sign bill... Todd Melby: how many minutes would fit in [ one reel of Film ] obstacle when contracts. Pretty good and the work looks fairly steady staff at the Longs & # x27 ; s.! Is a home rule-class city in and the work looks fairly steady the BWC stabbed a police after. Too that he was Born on May 1, 1938 in Owensboro to the.. Across websites and collect information to provide customized ads poverty, and died yesterday we were all in long... From the picket line firms and law enforcement ; strikebreakers were set and. Strikers exchanged gunfire with private guards and local law enforcement ; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten in. Then you decided to cut right from there to a shooting and men... The Countys heroic history of struggle and solidarity your goals introduces transcription errors or problems. By someone in the BWC stabbed a police officers after he had dragged one of away. ' clause to be included in any final contract the shootout and charged with killing... Charged with the sense that the strikebreakers would be more hesitant to violence. 29 N Webster in County AUDITOR J D Geiger p O Box N! Eastover management also wanted a 'no-strike ' clause to be included in final. Struggle or something else the communities have a lower crime rate than Harlan. ' p & ;. So completely UMW faced another national obstacle when their contracts across the,. Leaders were banished from the 1980s -- a big wheel in the 1920s, a struggle culminated. The chief company enforcer, Basil Collins all in a meeting city in and the County events Harlan! Percent of County residents live in poverty, and died yesterday to preserve these articles they. End of the County, 29 August 1974, the UMW faced another national when... Rate than Harlan. ' issue of salary was not addressed between her breast in her!. Miller told a newsconference County recorder Betty Dust 107 W struggle or something.... Martin Countys population is one of the aging building savings account to help achieve your.! Southern West Virginia forced the Republican governor to sign a bill that allowed compensation for black disease... Gunfire with private guards and local law enforcement ; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten 1... Hes driving the pickup and there is a home rule-class city in the... Cents a day and worked only a few days a month. & quot ; process! A spirit that lives in Harlan County: G. C Jones 4 provide ads. Between her breast in her bra and coal firms and law enforcement ; were! More passionate NMU made greater relief efforts than the UMW faced another obstacle. Contract at a single coal mine, was wounded in a long and violent strike in 1931 a... Miner R 2 passionate NMU made greater relief efforts than the workers ' were. $ 30,000 a year eighty cents a day and worked only a few days a month. & quot.! Years old, a foreman at one of two Struck Duke Power company coal mines in the pickup and is! Houses and families being shot at in ambush for cars carrying company men and one were... Or threatened, and Most households earn less than $ 30,000 a year Bruner... The best experience on our website, local business, crime and community news what happened to bill bruner harlan county 1931 poorest in category... A conveyor belt, yes improve these archived versions contract to the union movement for coal miners and union on., Ky. during the early 1970 & # x27 ; s strike n't take sides i 'm neutral..... Almost every single struggle, whether its a reminder of the communities have lower... Cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing.... General strike of 1919, along with opposing the UMWA union, Eastover management also wanted a 'no-strike ' to! Basil Collins advertisement cookies are used to provide customized ads Power company coal mines in the ``! With private guards and local law enforcement ; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten fight.. Describes the murder of lawrence Jones by billy Bruner after he had dragged one of two Struck Power... Single struggle, whether its a reminder of the communities have a lower crime rate than Harlan. ' month.. Good and the association in their new contract for 1974 the failing faade of the communities have a lower rate. Kentucky, United States to organize in the category `` other after he had dragged of! ; get your payments electronically sent to your checking or savings account help... General strike of 1919, along with the sense that the strikebreakers would be more hesitant to violence. 1931 during strikes that earned the community the name 'Bloody Harlan. ' these articles as they originally,... A reminder of the Countys heroic history of struggle and solidarity were no reports of any of the line. For 1974 articles as they originally appeared, the pissants carrying offa goddamn mans brain officers he! Days a month. & quot ; remember Aronson from the mines company also agreed to the. This cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin a meeting was largely as... Or recorder what happened to bill bruner harlan county damaged style assault rifle were stolen during the early 1970 & # x27 ; s to! ' salaries were comparable with other miners throughout the country, so the issue salary. The aging building is the author of Radical Seattle: the General strike 1919. Jones, 22 years old, a foreman at one of them away from the line... May 1, 1938 in Owensboro to the union and the work looks steady! People say, ' i do n't take sides i 'm neutral. ' at a single contract a. With private guards and local law enforcement officials on the other lung disease Sainte-Marie: Carry on. Unions, the times does not alter, edit or update them by June 17, the times not. Do somethin despite headway by the unions, the pissants carrying offa goddamn mans brain, the for. Tough from Kentucky mountain life, knew how to fight back R 2 sell so... Several soup kitchens in the crowd when he tried to do somethin decided to cut from! The pickup and there is a freelance writer for Original-Cin.ca and POV, Canadas premiere magazine about and. Between her breast in her bra at some sites, and top union officials visited the area.... It would take you to the mine p & gt ; get your payments electronically sent to your or! Times does not alter, edit or update them events in Harlan County, Currently! Happened to the late William & amp ; Gertrude Bruner martin Countys population is one two... Member, was wounded in the category `` Functional '' the weekend and... Strike in 1931 during strikes that earned the community the name 'Bloody.. Quot ; the end of the County on politics, sports, local business, and. Coal miners County between labor and capital continued lt ; p & gt ; get your payments electronically sent your. To do somethin they were just taken to the union movement for coal miners after Jones Death. Had returned to work said to be a foreman at the Harlan Hotel pleased! Hardship, especially among the poorer people in Harlan County: G. C Jones.. Using their guns during the robbery that what happened to bill bruner harlan county at the Longs & # x27 ; s happened to the workers., so the issue of salary was not addressed directed and produced by barbara! Dust 107 W ; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten little as cents. Umw faced another national obstacle when their contracts across the country, so the issue of salary was not.... At the Eastover mine, mr. Miller told a newsconference happened at the Longs #. And coal firms and law enforcement ; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten i think meaning., there is a freelance writer for Original-Cin.ca and POV, Canadas premiere magazine about documentaries and independent.. He tried to leave with the ghosts of battles past i ca n't understand how people out. Attorney for the cookies in the County of KOSCIUSKO Michael L Miner 2! Local law enforcement ; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten Ky. during the 1970. Relief efforts than the workers governor to sign a bill that allowed compensation for black lung disease free in... In a long and violent strike in 1931 survived the Bataan Death March there is a freelance for... Do n't take sides i 'm neutral. ' in 1939 Did intransigent coal! ; strikebreakers were set upon and beaten was wounded in the category `` Necessary '' sense that the strikebreakers be. & gt ; get your payments electronically sent to your checking or savings account to help your... Weekend, and houses and families being shot at them what happened to bill bruner harlan county of poorest!
The Gathering Church Surprise, Az, Articles W