A few of my family are in this documentary. My mother, Lois Scott passed away a few years ago. My sisters, uncles and aunts all were at the Brookside picket line too many days to remember. I was 23 at the time, fighting to help Brookside miners win a UMWA contract. We were spit on, shot at, cursed and jailed. All because we wanted to help families to make a decent, honest living.
@@MLPGamer44 Yes, I’m still around. Loretta Lynn, a country singer and also a coal miners daughter, died this week at the age of 90. I meet her in Baltimore in 1963 (before she was famous) during one of the coal ‘busts’ periods. She was performing at a bar, and my parents took me with them to hear her. I’m 72 now, except for my two younger brothers, all of my immediate family has passed over the bridge. I hope my health allows me to go on doing whatever I can to help others struggling in this world.
'They say in Harlan County There are no neutrals there. You'll either be a union man Or a thug for J. H. Blair. Which side are you on boys, which side are you on?!' Harlan county stands for a whole lot of places in the world...
That old man may well have known my Grand Father, Cicero Walker. He worked the mines back in the 30's and 40's in Harlan. At the end of the day, however, Good Lord above, thank you for allowing my Dad's family to leave there back in the early 50's. They left Harlan alive.
Unit 38 Your paw knew of Bloody Harlan then. God bless him! We've all been told those horrible stories of the mines back then. God Bless you and yours. My Great Uncle god rest his soul used to tell me how good I have it and to never forget it! He would say, "Jason I would walk for miles in the snow to work for a dollar a day." He would go on to tell us how the company owned everything, where you lived and how you lived. He's gone from this world but his story echos thru time. Black lung and lung cancer took him home.
I've seen this documentary and I plan on ordering it when I got the cash to spare. I highly recommend Harlan County, USA to anyone who likes a good documentary. Beautiful, tragic, powerful, and inspiring.
This is a fantastic film. I was so impressed by the strength and courage of the miners and their wives. It was incredible to see people who had next to nothing fight so hard. In this day age they are a lesson to us all.
Listening to this man tell the story of his life and of the old times of miners. Best video ever and I wasn't round that far back but it's my history as well I'm a proud Kentuckian and wouldn't trade this home for any other. It makes me tear up to watch these videos just to know what our miners do to have a job. Home. And way of living to support their families.
Daddy worked many years in the mines. His name was John Henry Mullins and he died on Jan 16 2016. That man was the toughest I've ever seen and he loved John L. Lewis. Finally he moved us up to Northern Virginia when he just couldn't support his family on a coal miner's pay and the unions always striking. He worked construction the rest of his working days and did well for us all. He always talked about the mines and John L. Lewis. This old guy reminds me of him.
My wife's family is the Hensley's from Harlan County Kentucky. Her grandmother told us about the feud many years ago. She was born around 1910 or so..she died in 2002 I believe. She said something about the Blantons not liking the way the election for sheriff went. A Hensley was elected but shot on the way home. Not sure if that's what started it but it was a major catalyst for the continuing violence.
My great grandfather is bud hensley and hes from harlan aswell but hes specifically from shotgun holler but when i look that up on google it tells me it dosent exist
My grandpa shot Jonathan Hensley in the Blue Moon Road House. There was a feud between the Hensley's and the Blanton's. Jonathan Hensley had shot my two uncles, Calub and Walter Blanton in Harlan County at a school board meeting. They were all coal miners.
I'm from south central Kentucky and you big ol coal miner boys have my full support. It's pitiful what they're doing to the coal mines. I've Made a few trips to Harlan county in the state football tournament and we couldn't never seem to leave there alive (as the saying goes)
My family is The Blantons from Harlan Ky. Family has been there since The Indin Wars. My line moved to Arkansas then to Oklahoma then to California. Mary Blanton was my GGrandmother. She married a Spires, Spears
Heya! I'm a Blanton as well, from Harlan. Good to know we're still around! Dad traced the Harlan County Blanton's back to 1751, i think it was, in the USA, and that ancestor fought in the Revolution against the British. Very hard to research unless you go to through the Harlan census, land, and birth/death records. Spent 2 summers at the courthouse down there.
Heya- i'm a Blanton, heard stories of the strike from my dad, who was there too. He never mentioned trouble with the Hensley's, just the mine, but then his mama was a Hensley. Heck, given it's Harlan, we're likely cousins lol
A few of my family are in this documentary. My mother, Lois Scott passed away a few years ago. My sisters, uncles and aunts all were at the Brookside picket line too many days to remember. I was 23 at the time, fighting to help Brookside miners win a UMWA contract. We were spit on, shot at, cursed and jailed. All because we wanted to help families to make a decent, honest living.
your mama was a badass woman. you should be so proud. I hope things are a little better now.
Didn't have family members in the film, but I do recognize the locale. Our clan was mainly Hazard county and town of Phelps.
God be with yall......my family left in the 60s
I hope you’re still around and I want to say thank you to your family. Really kept us workers going 💜
@@MLPGamer44 Yes, I’m still around. Loretta Lynn, a country singer and also a coal miners daughter, died this week at the age of 90. I meet her in Baltimore in 1963 (before she was famous) during one of the coal ‘busts’ periods. She was performing at a bar, and my parents took me with them to hear her. I’m 72 now, except for my two younger brothers, all of my immediate family has passed over the bridge. I hope my health allows me to go on doing whatever I can to help others struggling in this world.
'They say in Harlan County
There are no neutrals there.
You'll either be a union man
Or a thug for J. H. Blair.
Which side are you on boys, which side are you on?!'
Harlan county stands for a whole lot of places in the world...
That old man may well have known my Grand Father, Cicero Walker. He worked the mines back in the 30's and 40's in Harlan. At the end of the day, however, Good Lord above, thank you for allowing my Dad's family to leave there back in the early 50's. They left Harlan alive.
Unit 38 Your paw knew of Bloody Harlan then. God bless him! We've all been told those horrible stories of the mines back then. God Bless you and yours. My Great Uncle god rest his soul used to tell me how good I have it and to never forget it! He would say, "Jason I would walk for miles in the snow to work for a dollar a day." He would go on to tell us how the company owned everything, where you lived and how you lived. He's gone from this world but his story echos thru time. Black lung and lung cancer took him home.
I've seen this documentary and I plan on ordering it when I got the cash to spare. I highly recommend Harlan County, USA to anyone who likes a good documentary. Beautiful, tragic, powerful, and inspiring.
Nimrod was my grandpa; I grew knowing that mining was a way of life in the Appalachia's. He always stood for a miners rights!
me and him have the same last name could we be related???
I’m 26 and I love listening to your grandfather sing
This is a fantastic film. I was so impressed by the strength and courage of the miners and their wives. It was incredible to see people who had next to nothing fight so hard. In this day age they are a lesson to us all.
Thank you for uploading this Ben
Listening to this man tell the story of his life and of the old times of miners. Best video ever and I wasn't round that far back but it's my history as well I'm a proud Kentuckian and wouldn't trade this home for any other. It makes me tear up to watch these videos just to know what our miners do to have a job. Home. And way of living to support their families.
Daddy worked many years in the mines. His name was John Henry Mullins and he died on Jan 16 2016. That man was the toughest I've ever seen and he loved John L. Lewis. Finally he moved us up to Northern Virginia when he just couldn't support his family on a coal miner's pay and the unions always striking. He worked construction the rest of his working days and did well for us all. He always talked about the mines and John L. Lewis. This old guy reminds me of him.
Nimrod workman's voice goes up and down my spine just like Hazel's
The singing parts with Nimrod and Hazel are the best parts in this movie.
Justified brought me here
The man singing is named Nimrod Workman and there is an Appalshop film that features him
god bless that hard working old man 42 years is a long time
My wife's family is the Hensley's from Harlan County Kentucky. Her grandmother told us about the feud many years ago. She was born around 1910 or so..she died in 2002 I believe. She said something about the Blantons not liking the way the election for sheriff went. A Hensley was elected but shot on the way home. Not sure if that's what started it but it was a major catalyst for the continuing violence.
My great grandfather is bud hensley and hes from harlan aswell but hes specifically from shotgun holler but when i look that up on google it tells me it dosent exist
My grandpa shot Jonathan Hensley in the Blue Moon Road House. There was a feud between the Hensley's and the Blanton's. Jonathan Hensley had shot my two uncles, Calub and Walter Blanton in Harlan County at a school board meeting. They were all coal miners.
Thank you TH-cam for this
I'm from south central Kentucky and you big ol coal miner boys have my full support. It's pitiful what they're doing to the coal mines. I've Made a few trips to Harlan county in the state football tournament and we couldn't never seem to leave there alive (as the saying goes)
My family is The Blantons from Harlan Ky. Family has been there since The Indin Wars.
My line moved to Arkansas then to Oklahoma then to California.
Mary Blanton was my GGrandmother. She married a Spires, Spears
The place where the toughest americans are.
Shame it comes at such a cost.
God bless the UMWA. Third generation umwa coal miner. Its coming to these days again.. just gonna be bob murray instead of blair
Great singing! (0.35 - 1.45)
Why do you delete my comments but leave my pic icon? I'm proud to be from
Harlan. My father was the Fire Chief for many years
god bless our coal miners
That's the Real Boyd Crowder.
i pray for them lost miners
god bless
Glad I didn’t move their
Anyone seeing this and voted Republican. You're not on their side
Heya! I'm a Blanton as well, from Harlan. Good to know we're still around! Dad traced the Harlan County Blanton's back to 1751, i think it was, in the USA, and that ancestor fought in the Revolution against the British. Very hard to research unless you go to through the Harlan census, land, and birth/death records. Spent 2 summers at the courthouse down there.
Heya- i'm a Blanton, heard stories of the strike from my dad, who was there too. He never mentioned trouble with the Hensley's, just the mine, but then his mama was a Hensley. Heck, given it's Harlan, we're likely cousins lol