They Were Union Leaders
The “hillbilly” stereotype suggests a life removed from any industry, yet the reality in Appalachia tells a different story, with coal mining at its heart. This industry, critical to the region, offered employment but rarely prosperity to those who toiled in the mines. Miners faced harsh conditions and constant danger, including frequent mine explosions, all while their employers were the ones profiting.
Their response was the unionization efforts that began in the early 1900s, though they were met with fierce resistance from employers. The 1920s saw West Virginia miners solidify their unions, a legacy that persists. Chuck Keeney, historian and descendant of labor leader Frank Keeney, reminds us that the term “redneck” originally celebrated these miners’ fight for justice.