West Virginia Mine Wars Museum

08/07/2026

ON THIS DAY IN MINE WARS HISTORY ⛏ August 7th, 1921

Roughy 5,000 miners from all over the southern coalfields, already furious over the declaration of martial law in Mingo County, converged on the capital to demand justice. Speakers at the rally included Mother Jones, Ed Chambers widow, and District 17 leader Frank Keeney who uttered this statement to the crowd.

The group presented the Governor with a proposal that included the eight-hour work day; semi-monthly pay; the right to do business at any store of their choosing; and recognition of their basic rights to assembly, free speech, freedom from search and seizure, and due process.

The Governor refuses to meet with the union leaders, and soon rejected the proposal. Later that month, thousands of armed miners would march for their constitutional rights.

08/06/2026

Mingo is a novel based in deep historical research, exploring the adage of “Which Side Are You On?” through the relationship of two brothers who find themselves in opposing factions during the West Virginia Mine Wars.

Hear from the author himself at the Museum in the Matewan Community Center August 7 at 6pm as Barnes shares his research process and explores the themes of corporate exploitation, family, and more.

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/share/19NTfoXaCv/?mibextid=wwXIfr

08/05/2026

Nearly three months into our community meetings for the country’s largest labor history trail, Courage in the Hollers, we’ve held two rounds in four counties in southern West Virginia. We've heard from roughly 200 people on how they want the story of the Mine Wars told in their community.

Community and Project Coordinator, Roger May shares an update on the process thus far and what is in store for future meetings, including the design of monuments and murals which will become permanent, informative tributes to the efforts of unionist coal miners on the Miners’ March in 1921.

This effort restores a history lost from the landscapes in the region, garnering community pride and creating economic development for our Mine Wars Towns.

Hear how the initial two rounds of meetings have gone and what is next for this project: https://wvminewars.org/news/courageupdate

08/04/2026

NEW SHIRT: Wear this badge with pride 🎖️⛏

105 years ago Mate Street was flooded with mourners as the casket holding the recently assassinated Sid Hatfield was carried from Matewan to McCarr, Kentucky. To commemorate this anniversary we have a new MEMBERS-ONLY pre-order out now based on a related artifact.

One of the very first artifacts to be loaned to the Museum back in 2015 was a mourning badge commemorating the deaths of Sid Hatfield and Ed Chambers on August 1, 1921. Mingo County native Roger May brought us this incredible artifact, already framed in a small shadowbox before we ever officially opened our doors. The badge remains on exhibit and is one of our most popular artifacts.

The unionized crew at Mountain Mindful did an amazing job recreating it for this design, printed on a 100% cotton “ringer”-style t-shirt. The pre-order, exclusive to the Museum’s rank-and-file members, will run through September 1.

Don’t miss out and keep this history alive by becoming a member here: https://wvminewars.org/join
If you’re already supporting the work, find the link to the pre-order here: https://wvminewars.org/member-portal

The final slide is an image from Sid’s burial, on display at the Museum.

08/03/2026

The director of Matewan still believes in the power of his depiction of a segment of the Mine Wars! Plus the Museum is linked as a source of information, pretty cool. 😎

Check out the article here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/03/john-sayles-matewan-unions

08/03/2026

In a region dominated by coal company-controlled politicians, media, and unaccountable private police forces, Matewan Chief of Police Sid Hatfield stood out as a lawman who protected the miners and locals rather than safeguarding corporate interests.

Due to the era and rarity of these badges, and that the numeral “1” at the top designates the badge as Chief of Police, it’s possible this badge (on loan from the collection of Doug Estepp) belonged to Sid Hatfield, who served as Police Chief of Matewan, West Virginia from 1919 until his death on August 1 of 1921. But at this time we can’t know for sure and we ain’t gonna lie to you. A remarkable artifact either way… 💎

08/01/2026

105 years ago today Sid Hatfield and Ed Chambers were assassinated on the McDowell County courthouse steps in Welch.

07/31/2026

⛏❤WOW❤⛏

Our exterior has gotten a major facelift! The faces of some key figures in Mine Wars history now greet visitors on Mate Street with a pop of color. The portraits are copies of Sassa Wilke's community mural project, "SOLIDARITY."

We also now have some beautiful signage for our Matewan Community Center.
See when events are happening there: https://wvminewars.org/events

PLUS we now have a fabulous paint job on the Museum's Airbnb entrance.

These beautification efforts could not have happened without grants from The Truist Foundation and The National Coal Heritage Foundation.🎨

07/31/2026

07/30/2026

The new school year is upon us! Did you know the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum offers a wide range of lesson plans for students of all ages on a variety of topics related to the Mine Wars?

Our offerings include activities like union recruitment poster making, interactive role play, community service projects, traditional lectures, and more all rooted in teaching this hidden history of the coalfields.

These lessons are FREE to download and use, developed by the amazing West Virginia teachers on our Education Advisory Panel.

Bring the Mine Wars into your classroom this year: https://wvminewars.org/lesson-plans