- Wilma Steele, retired Mingo County public school teacher and founding museum board member
Are you a natural at building connections and capturing stories? We've got the perfect opportunity for you!
As we celebrate Women's History Month, it's essential to shine a spotlight on the often overlooked, but incredibly vital roles that women played in the West Virginia Mine Wars.
Did you see the latest announcement from our Executive Director? Kenzie formally announced the news that we now own one of the largest pieces of real estate in downtown Matewan, the Cecil E. Roberts Building (formerly known as the Matewan BB&T and Matewan National Bank).
In early December museum staff and a dedicated crew of volunteers undertook the monumental task of organizing an extensive collection of papers, books, and objects generously donated to the museum by Sandra S. Barkey.
Here at the Museum, we understand, honor, and value the fact that the Mine Wars were a multi-racial fight for fair labor in the mountains of West Virginia. While its important to uplift these voices, people, and stories year round, here are some that we wanted to share with you this month.
For decades, the West Virginia Mine Wars, a critical chapter in the struggle for workers' rights, has remained shrouded in silence, deliberately omitted from public discourse and classroom curricula. But now, a new generation can finally uncover the profound impact this history holds.