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Featured Videos

• West Virginia Morning: Jessica Lilly tells us about the “Courage in the Hollers: Mapping the Miners’ Struggle for a Union" event that will take place in Matewan this weekend.

• Battle of Homestead Foundation: Battle of Blair Mountain, 1921 - What It Means for Working People in 2021. This #Blair100 online program features the Museum’s board and staff discussing the legacy of Blair Mountain.

• Record West Virginia: The Battle of Matewan 100 Years Later.
  The series premiere of Record West Virginia features Museum Docent Kim McCoy, as well as plenty of footage of our exhibits and artifacts.

• Little Lectures: Museum Director Kenzie New-Walker discusses how the West Virginia Mine Wars have been remembered through the decades.

• Mountain Top News: Footage from the last days of exhibit installation leading up to our grand re-opening on Labor Day, September 2020, features a short interview with our Creative Director, Shaun Slifer.

Press Releases

• The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum announces Camp Solidarity, 4/14/23

• Monument Unveilings this Labor Day Weekend, 8/23/22

• Outpouring of Support from Cast of “MATEWAN” for Blair Centennial Project, 12/11/2018

• West Virginia Mine Wars Museum Launches Free Lessons Plans, 10/22/18

• It's Supper Time in Matewan, 8/17/18

• Public Invited to Contribute Names to Miners Memorial Exhibit, 7/10/18

• Mine Wars Museum Celebrates 30th Anniversary of “Matewan” This Saturday, 9/2/17

• WV Mine Wars Museum to Host Matewan Director for 30th Anniversary of Film's Release, 8/18/17

• Museum Wins Support from National Endowment for the Humanities, 8/2/17

• Public Invited to Celebrate Mother Jones Birthday, 4/18/17

• UMWA Lends Support for Mine Wars Museum, 1/24/17

• Legends and Legacies -- Stories from the Mine Wars Era, 9/1/16

• Miners Memorial Event, Catherine Moore, 8/2/16

• May Day Matinee at the WV Mine Wars Museum, 4/26/16

• Mine Wars Museum grand opening announced, 4/16/15

Featured Radio & Podcast Spots

• West Virginia Mine Wars (Episode 50!) with Lloyd Tomlinson, The History Book Podcast,

• West Virginia Mine Wars: Coal Camps, Bloodshed & The Redneck Army with Executive Director Mackenzie New-Walker, Our Numinous Nature, 5/18/23

• West Virginia Mine Wars Museum with Barbara Ellen Smith, Empathy Lab Media, 8/12/22

• West Virginia Mine Wars Museum Interview, Between Two Shelves | Cabell County Library, 9/2/22

• Finding faith beyond the fences, Accidental Tomatoes, 7/11/22

• Memory of Land, WHYY Public Broadcasting, 12/3/21

• Power and the West Virginia Coalfields, Black in Appalachia, 8/28/21

• The People’s Church as part of the Blair Centennial, WVOW Radio, 8/20/21

• Sidedoor: The Battle of Blair Mountain, Smithsonian, July 2021

• Mine Wars Museum Reopens on this West Virginia Morning, WV Public Broadcasting, 9/11/2020

• Mtn. Talk: WV Mine Wars Museum Strike Supper, WMMT FM 88.7, 1/8/19

• Inside Appalachia: W.VA Mine Wars, Red-Neck Folklore, & More, WV Public Broadcasting, 5/22/2015

• Do You Know Where the Word "Redneck" Comes From? Mine Wars Museum Opens Revives Lost Labor History, WV Public Broadcasting, 5/18/2015

• Turn This Town Around - Matewan Gains Momentum as Meetings Wrap Up, Clark Davis, WV Public Broadcasting, 11/9/2014

Full Archive of Articles

• “Teachers Strike Exhibit opens at WV Mine Wars Museum,” Herald Dispatch, 8/21/23

• “Exhibit spotlighting statewide teacher strikes opening at Mine Wars Museum,” Charleston Gazette-Mail, 8/6/23

• “Matewan museum hosting new exhibit,” Mingo Messenger, 8/6/23

• “Four States Mine reunion picnic preserves history but perhaps not for long,” Times West Virginian, 8/5/23

• “New exhibit to open at Mine Wars Museum,” Williamson Daily News, 8/2/23

• “The Redneck Army Refuses to Stay Buried,” New York Times, 7/21/23

• “‘Matewan’ film’s recounting of 1920 union battle in West Virginia mining town remains strong history lesson for today,” Pittsburgh Union Progress, 7/14/23

• “The Humble Food that United Immigrants, Rednecks, and an Entire State,” Southern Grit Magazine, 6/29/23

• “Jude joins Mine Wars Museum staff,” Williamson Daily News, 5/7/23

• “Manchin Announces $424K to Digitize West Virginia University Archives and Enhance West Virginia Mine Wars Museum,” Press Release Senator Joe Manchin, 4/23/23

• “New online exhibit from the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum shows off vintage union S.W.A.G.,” Charleston Gazette-Mail, 1/16/2023

• “WV Mine Wars Museum announcing awards,” Williamson Daily News, 1/4/23

• “West Virginia Coal Miners Who Fought Their Bosses Are Getting The Monuments They Deserve,” Jacobin, 12/16/22

• “Final planning meeting for Matewan mural set,” Williamson Daily News, 11/30/22

• “WV Mine Wars Museum to close out 2022 season,” Williamson Daily News, 11/16/22

• “Southern W.Va. Tourism Highlights The Haves and Have-Nots,” WV Public Broadcasting, 10/12/22

• “UMWA Commemorates the Mine Wars on Labor Day Weekend,” Workers World, 9/15/22

• “Blair Mountain Monuments Unveiled in Logan, Kanawha Counties,” The Herald Dispatch, 9/12/22

• “Blair Mountain Monuments Unveiled in Clothier and Marmet,” Logan Banner, 9/7/22

• “Across the State,” State Journal News, 9/5/22

• “What you can learn from the largest armed labor uprising in U.S History,” San Francisco Chronicle, 9/5/22

• “‘Blair Footsteps’ Find Permanent Place At New Mine Wars Monuments,’ West Virginia Public Broadcasting, 9/1/22

• “The Red Neck Army and the bloodiest battle in American history,” The Boston Globe, 9/7/22

• “Blair Mountain Monuments to be Unveiled This Weekend, and Writers Share Kentucky Flood Experience,” WV Public Broadcasting, 9/1/22

• “The Forgotten History of the Coal Miners’ Labor Uprising at Blair Mountain,” Kenzie New Walker | Zocalo Public Square, 9/1/22

• “Museum installing monuments to commemorate Mine Wars,” West Virginia Explorer, 8/31/22

• “Mine Wars monuments to be dedicated,” Logan Banner, 8/28/22

• “Plans Continue for Nenni Building Restoration,” Mingo Messenger, 8/5/22

• “Mine Wars Museum testing new hours,” Williamson Daily News, 6/15/22

• “Planning beginning for Matewan mural,” Williamson Daily News, 6/1/22

• “Mine Wars Museum set to open,” Williamson Daily News, 3/30/22

• “W.Va.’s mine wars weren’t as clear-cut as they seemed,” The Dominion Post, 3/19/22

• “Recognizing Mine and Labor History,” NEH for All, 3/22/22

• “Cosplay Cops and Special Ops: Baldwin-Felts and the West Virginia Mine War,” RIP Corp, 3/15/22

• “Fairmont State University arts professor chosen to paint historic coal mining mural in Mingo Co., West Virginia,’ The Fairmont News, 3/10/22

• “The Unexpected, Radical Roots of ‘Redneck’,” The Daily Yonder, 12/10/21

• “Blair 100: A Centennial of Solidarity and Courage,” Labor Online, 10/4/21

• “Miners mark 100 years since union battle at Blair Mountain,” The Militant, 9/27/21

• “The Singing Left,” The Baffler, 9/21/21

• “ARC webinar highlights Appalachian economic development strategies, $12.3 million for WV ARC grant recipients,” Charleston-Gazette Mail, 9/16/21

• “Local miners attend Battle of Blair Mountain centennial event in W.Va.,” Observer-Reporter, 9/9/21

• “Labor Day church service memorializes Blair Mountain battle a century later,” The Logan Banner, 9/8/21

• “Walking tour gives first-hand historical look of Matewan,” The Logan Banner, 9/8/21

• “A Century Ago, Miners Fought in a Bloody Uprising. Few Know About It Today,” The New York Times, 9/6/21

• “Armed with metal detector, Logan man became leader in fight to save battlefield,” Charleston-Gazette Mail, 9/4/21

• “Museum embraces legacy of Blair Mountain, beyond,” Herald Dispatch, 9/4/21

• “A Visual Exhibition Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Blair Mountain,” Visit Mountaineer Country, 9/3/2021

• “The Significance of the Battle of Blair Mountain, 100 Years Later,” The Appalachian Voice, 9/2/2021

• “Remembering the Stories of Those Who Gave Their Lives at Blair Mountain,” 100 Days in Appalachia, 9/2/21

• “Deadly 1921 coal miner revolt in West Virginia remembered,” Hometown Stations, 9/2/21

• “Behind the Second Battle of Blair Mountain,” Williamson Daily News, 9/1/21

• “Battle of Blair Mountain offers cautionary tale about decline of unions upon centennial,” Charleston-Gazette Mail, 8/31/21

• “The Biggest Uprising Since the Civil War Happened Here 100 Years Ago,” The Nation, 8/30/21

• “What Made the Battle of Blair Mountain the Largest Labor Uprising in American History,” The Smithsonian, 8/25/21

• “Roundtable discussion highlights importance of Battle of Blair Mountain to workers 100 years later,” Charleston-Gazette Mail, 8/20/21

• “Reconnect with the State’s Proud Union Roots at the Blair Mountain Centennial,” WV Living Magazine, 8/18/21

• “Blair Mountain anniversary events kick off September 3,” Herald Dispatch, 8/17/21

• “Panel will discuss impacts of Battle of Blair Mountain labor uprising on workers today,” Pittsburgh City Paper, 8/17/21

• “The Panel Discusses the Impact of Labor Disputes in the Battle of Mount Blair on Workers Today,” Pennsylvania News Today, 8/17/21

• “Events Mark Centennial Of Key Moment In Labor History,” WESA: Pittsburgh’s NPR News Station, 8/17/21

• “WV Book Team: Upcoming events in WV’s literary world,” Charleston Gazette-Mail, 8/16/21

• “Symposium presented to honor Blair Mountain,” Coal Valley News, 8/11/21

• “Events Across the State To Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Mine Wars, Battle of Blair Mountain,” West Virginia Public Broadcasting, 8/5/21

• “Explore The Largest Mine Wars Exhibit In America At Matewan’s West Virginia Mine Wars Museum,” Only in Your State, 8/5/21

• “One Tank Trip: Mine Wars Museum,” WOAY-TV, 7/30/21

• “Charles Keeney: ‘You have to find alternative ways to win,’” Charleston Gazette, 4/9/21

• “How Blair Mountain became a coalfields crusade,” Daily Mail WV, 4/9/21

• “Historic Mingo County Buildings to be renovated, preserved,” WCHS, 4/8/21

• “Standing United, Living Divided: Black coal miners and their fight for justice,” WCHS, 2/19/21

• “The Real Meaning of Hillbilly,” The New York Times, 1/30/21

• “Artists featured on 'Matewan' soundtrack to perform in September,” The Herald Dispatch, 1/27/21

• “From the Mine Wars Museum: Welcome to our new, Union-Made Platform!,” Kentucky State AFL-CIO, 1/26/21

• “Series of events to commemorate centennial of Battle of Blair Mountain set for Labor Day Weekend,” Williamson Daily News, 1/13/21

• “West Virginia Mine Wars Museum 2.0,” AppalachianHistory.Net, 12/11/2020

• “The Battle of Blair Mountain was the Largest Labor Uprising in U.S. History,” Teen Vogue, 11/26/2020

• “West Virginia Mine Wars,” Liken Knowledge, 11/19/2020

• “#LocalHistory: West Virginia Mine Wars Museum” Williamson Forward, 11/9/2020

• “Mine Wars Museum holds grand reopening,” Mingo Messenger, 9/11/2020

• “Preserving — and expanding — history: Mine Wars Museum reopens in Matewan in new building with more exhibits,” West Virginia’s News, 9/5/20

• “Mine Wars Museum opens in a new building with more exhibits, room for growth,” Charleston Gazette-Mail, 9/4/2020

• “West Virginia Mine Wars Museum Reopens,” Mountain Top News, 9/2/20

• “West Virginia Mine Wars Exhibit stops in Mount Clare,” 12WBO, 8/21/20

• “Matewan Massacre' a century ago embodied miners' struggles,” Associated Press, 5/18/20

• “A Museum, From Below,” Justseeds, 1/29/20

• “Drama group ‘been waiting 20 years’ for massacre centennial,” Mingo Messenger, 1/24/20

• “Hope of a Sustainable Future in West Virginia’s Coal Country,” Roar, 1/22/20

• “A battle victory for coal unions facing an energy war,” E&E News, 1/14/20

• “Group planning numerous events for Matewan Massacre Centennial,” Mingo Messenger, 1/10/20

• “Matewan: All We Got in Common,” Criterion, 10/29/19

• “Women in Labor History is the Theme of Symposium on Saturday in Wheeling,” The Intelligencer: Wheeling News-Register, 9/9/19

• “West Virginia Mine Wars Museum gets $30,000 Grant,” Logan Banner, 9/4/19

• “Coal Valley News: Battle of Blair Mountain centennial event scores major grant” West Virginia Hub, 9/3/2019

• “West Virginia Mine Wars Museum gets $30,000 Grant,” Coal Valley News, 8/28/2019

• “Matewan celebrates wins on their path to a bright future,” WV Community Development Hub, 8/21/2019

• “West Virginia Association of Museums Newsletter,” WVAM, 8/18/2019

• “Maggie Reflects on a recent visit to the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum," John Sayles Blog, 8/1/2019

• “Thoughts on working as an Artist in a History Museum: Creating a New Exhibition at the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum,” Justseeds, 6/4/2019

• “America’s new redneck rebellion,” Financial Times, 6/26/2019

• “Cast of ‘Matewan’ lines up in support of Blair Centennial Project,” The Montgomery Herald, 2/17/2019

• “25 Best Things to Do in West Virginia,” Dream Vacation Magazine

• “Matewan focuses on tourism issues,” Mingo Messenger, 1/11/2019

• “‘Matewan’ cast shows support for Blair Centennial Project,” Williamson Daily News, 12/19/2018

• “Strike!,” WV Living, Fall 2018 Issue

• “On the Road with Rick Holmes: The battles of ‘Bloody Mingo,’” Leavenworth Times, 12/13/18

• “County-by-county Gift Guide: 55 Ways to Share your love for WV,” Charleston Gazette-Mail, 12/6/2018

• “English teachers shares grandmother’s story in national publication,” The Independent Herald, 11/28/2018

• “West Virginia Mine Wars Museum,” Suzanne E. Tallichet, Journal of Appalachian Studies, 2018

• “Remembering the West Virginia Mine Wars,” LA Progressive, 11/27/18

• “From The Kentucky State AFL-CIO:Open your hearts, wallets for Battle of Blair Mountain centennial,” Daily KOS, 11/26/18

• “Striking Mountain State miners inspired Solidarity Forever,” Kentucky State AFL-CIO, 10/19/18

• “Markers, museum recall Matewan Massacre,” Kentucky State AFL-CIO, 10/18/18

• "Mtn. Talk: Remembering the Battle of Blair Mountain," WMMT, 8/28/18

• "Blair Mountain Strike Supper Offered Sept. 22," Williamson Daily News, 8/26/18

• "Mother Jones ' spirit returns to Matewan," Williamson Daily News, 5/25/18

• "Wilma Steele on The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum," Corporate Crime Reporter, 5/7/18

• "A Culture of Resistance," Laphan's Quarterly, 3/30/18

• "The Bloody Fight," Jacobin, 3/27/18

• "Mine Wars Museum Wins Grant," The Hub, 3/6/18

• "Striking teachers know mine wars history. Do you?" Charleston Gazette-Mail, 3/3/18

• "WEST VIRGINIA MINE WARS MUSEUM," Lawyers Guns & Money, 11/29/17

• "Lone Stars: Independent Filmmakers John Sayles and Maggie Renzi," Pasatiempo, 10/20/17

• "Beyond Statistics: Appalachia's Stories Reveal Resilience and Perseverance," Inside Appalachia, 10/21/17

• "'Matewan' Mine Wars Film Screened in W.Va. for 30th Anniversary," WV Public Broadcasting, 10/11/17

• "'Matewan' Revisited: Film Unearthed Region’s Buried Labor History," Ohio Valley ReSource, 10/6/17

• "Sayles Returns to WV for 30th Anniversary Screening of MATEWAN," Charleston Gazette-Mail, 10/5/17

• "'Matewan' marks 30th anniversary," The Herald-Dispatch, 10/3/17

• "Mine Wars Museum teams up with ‘Matewan’ creators for 30th anniversary film screening," The Fayette Tribune, 8/21/17

• "Mine Wars Museum Receives 30K Grant," The Vindicator, 8/13/17

• "Mine Wars Museum Receives Grant for Anniversary Project," Associated Press, 8/8/17

• "WV's Coalfields: Adventure and Possibilities," Kim Harbour, 7/30/17

• "Mine Wars Museum Receives a $30,000 Challenge Grant," Beckley Register-Herald, 8/4/17

• "Museum Gets Grant for Blair Mountain Project," Williamson Daily News, 8/3/17

• "The Coal Mining Massacre America Forgot," Smithsonian.com, 4/25/17

• "Across the State," The State Journal, 4/24/17

• "Coal Heritage Lecture Series kicks off March 20," The Fayette Tribute, 3/13/17

• "UMWA Supports Mine Wars Museum," The Montgomery Herald, 2/8/17

• "UMWA Supports Mine Wars Museum," The Williamson Daily News, 1/24/17

• "UMWA Supports Mine Wars Museum," The Fayette Tribune, 1/2/17

• "Worried About Rent Hikes, 301 Families Came Together to Buy Their Mobile Home Park: And five other creative ways Americans are stepping up to build strong local economies," Yes! Magazine, 1/9/17

• "This Town In West Virginia Has A Dark And Evil History That Will Never Be Forgotten," Only In Your State 12/27/16

• "The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum: Getting Stronger by the Member," AppalachianHistory.Net 12/5/16

• "Mine Wars Museum winds down 2016 season," Independent Herald, 10/25/16

• "Visitors Invited to Experience Living Mine War in Matewan," Beckley Register-Herald, 9/7/16

• "The history of Labor Day: A holiday born from the working man," The Exponent Telegram, 9/5/16

• "Legends and Legacies," The Logan Banner, 9/1/16

• "Matewan Homecoming Sept. 10," Williamson Daily News, 8/31/16

• "Memorial to Fallen Miners Unveiled in Matewan," Mingo Messenger, 8/12/16

• "Mine Wars Museum Unveils Miners Memorial," Huntington Herald Dispatch, 8/9/16

• "Miners Memorial Unveiling in Matewan," Williamson Daily News, 8/3/16

• "Miners Memorial Unveiling in Matewan," The Logan Banner, 8/3/16

• "Miners Museum," WOAY, 8/4/16

• "To Those We Lost: New Exhibit in Matewan Dedicated to Fallen Miners," Jake Lynch, WV Community Development Hub, 8/1/16

• "May Day Celebration in Matewan," The Beckley Register Herald, 4/28/16

• "May Day Matinee in Matewan," Williamson Daily News, 4/28/16

• "Mine Wars Film Being Shown at May Day Event Sunday," AP, 4/28/16

• "King Coal and the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum", Carolyn Whelan, Belt Magazine, 11/10/2015

• "The Fall of King Coal", Tim Murphy, Mother Jones Magazine, November/December 2015 Issue

• "These Striking Photos will change the way you look at Coal Country", Stacy Kranitz, Mother Jones Magazine, November/December 2015 Issue

• "Rednecks Symbolize Solidarity: W.VA Mine Wars Museum Reclaims Union Identity", Mark Hand, Counter Punch, 8/10/2015

• "Museums from Below", Zack Furness, Souciant, 6/24/2015

• "A View Inside the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum", Shaun Slifer, Justseeds, 5/21/2015

• "Our History," Editor of The Beckley Register-Herald, 5/20/2015

• "Matewan museum tells story of W.VA mine wars", Associated Press, 5/18/2015

• "W.VA museum tells story of the Mine Wars", Daniel Tyson, The Beckley Register-Herald, 5/18/2015

• "Mine Wars museum opens with Battle of Matewan reenactment", Andrew Brown, Charleston Gazette, 5/17/2015

• "WV Mine Wars Museum open in Matewan", Christina Fan, WOWKTV, 5/16/2015

• "Ever heard of the Battle of Blair Mountain? Federal troops were called against 13,000 miners", Brandon Weber, Upworthy, 4/29/2015

• "WV Mine Wars Museum aims to tell overlooked coalfields history", Marcus Constantino, Charleston Daily Mail, 4/28/2015

• "Where Do "Rednecks" Really Come From? A New Museum Has the Surprising Answer", Catherine Moore, Yes! Magazine, 4/19/2015

• "Lou Martin: Matewan looks forward to opening of Mine Wars Museum", Lou Martin, Charleston Gazette-Mail, 4/18/2015

• "West Virginia Mine Wars Museum Open House, November 8, 12pm-4pm", Ryan Poe, The Labor and Working Class History Association, 10/23/2014

• "Coal 'War' museum in Matewan to offer glimpse of the past", Daniel Tyson The Register-Herald, 12/6/2014