The Day WV Miners Fought Back
Sunday, August 23, 2026Hey friends! Welcome to the very first Hometown View newsletter. I created Hometown View because some of America’s biggest stories aren’t found in famous cities or history books. They’re hiding in coal camps, river towns, old forts, and along the roads we travel every day. This week’s story takes us to Matewan, West Virginia. THE DAY WEST VIRGINIA MINERS FOUGHT BACK In 1920, coal miners were fighting for the right to organize. When company agents arrived in Matewan to evict miners and their families from company-owned homes, the confrontation erupted into gunfire. Within minutes, 10 men were dead. But this wasn’t simply a small-town shootout. It helped ignite a much larger struggle—one that would eventually lead thousands of armed miners toward Blair Mountain in the largest labor uprising in American history. WATCH THE STORY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eftWrMsn2vI WHY THIS STORY STAYS WITH ME As someone with West Virginia roots, stories like this don’t feel like distant history. They shaped the communities, families, and culture of Appalachia—and their impact can still be felt today. They also remind us of something important: history isn’t always forgotten because nobody remembers it. Sometimes it’s forgotten because the people with the most power got to decide which stories mattered. That’s why Hometown View exists—to look closer, ask another question, and uncover the history hiding in plain sight. Thank you for being here at the beginning. I’ll send another note whenever there’s a new film, an interesting discovery, or something worth sharing from the road. Until next time, keep looking closer. Jeff Bennett P.S. Do you know a forgotten place or hometown story I should investigate? Reply to this email and tell me about it. |