In late August and Early September of 1921, the one of the largest uprisings for labor rights in this nation occurred in rural West Virginia. This battle, known as the Battle of Blair Mountain, is about to become lost to history, as the mining industry that the people fought in this historic battle is working to turn this into another MTR site, defiling the grave and the site of that stand against them.
Short discussion of Blair Mountain's History (also here is their Wiki page if you want more information):
(Note: Video states 6000 marched, links estimate it between 7,500 to 10,000, FYI)
From June 6th through the 10th, a March and Concert sponsored by Music Saves Mountains will March that historic walk again, and are trying to raise funds in protest of Mountaintop removal mining. The concert will be at the Capitol the day before the start of the March.
Here is more on that...
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Music Saves Mountains, a group led by country music stars and the Natural Resources Defense Council, will host a concert at the Culture Center at the state Capitol on June 5 -- the evening before a 50-mile march on Blair Mountain begins in Marmet.
The march, which will last from June 6 to June 10, will honor labor struggles of the past and call for an end to mountaintop removal mining today....
...snip...
..."Our concert will double as a tribute to Hazel Dickens. It is a great opportunity to bring together a bunch of artists who played with her, to honor her life and the values she fought for throughout her life," Waage said on Friday....
snip....
...The concert on June 5 will feature Tin O'Brien, a Grammy Award winner and member of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Other singers will include Elaine Purkey, Ginny Hawker, Tracy Schwarz, David Morris, John Lilly and Vince Herman....(MORE)
A great deal of thanks to the people who work to prevent this destruction, the artists, and filmmakers who work to increase awareness of this problem in our region. Music Saves Mountains co-founder Emmylou Harris and now Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have even worked together helping a film called "The Last Mountain" to address the problem of MTR. Trailer below...
Can't wait to see it, it also begins in June. I hope some of you lend support to fighting MTR and defending Blair Mountain in any way you can.