Mr. Bruner was wounded . Youll either be a union man or a thug for J. H. Blair The miners revival, led by the UMWA, came in the wake of Franklin Roosevelts election in 1933 and in their belief that only their union might save them. Honoured with an Academy Award, and listed in the National Film Registry, the film set the standard for other fictional films about class struggles (Matawan,Norma Rae) and the populist documentary films of Michael Moore. In Episode 2 of the The Drunk Projectionist, producer and host Todd Melby interviewed Barbara Kopple about Harlan County USA, her impressive first film. Lois Scott pulls a gun out of her dress and said something like, I started out with a switch, but now Im carrying a gun. She kept it between her breast in her bra! The 1976 documentary won an Academy Award. Lawrence Jones, 22 years old, a union member, was wounded in a shootout during the weekend, and died yesterday. With documentaries, you never really know what youre going to get. https://povmagazine.com/kingston-canadian-film-festival-announces-2023-line-up/. The series revolves around the inhabitants and culture in the Appalachian mountains area of eastern Kentucky, specifically Harlan County where many of the main characters grew up. By the end of the campaign the miners had been subjected to over 90 arrests and 40 acts of violence. Wages at these mines came into step with the rest of the nation. What happened to Lawrence Jones wife Harlan County? William "Bill" Henry Bruner Junior, 77, of Henryville, IN, passed away at 6:48 PM on Friday, August 28, 2020, at Baptist Health Floyd in New Albany, IN. The BWC had nearly 100 members. That made me think a lot too. Boy, "The Overthrow Them Governments" business must pay pretty good and the work looks fairly steady. Our new issue on nationalism is out now. It was settled in 1819 by Virginians led by Samuel Howard and was known as Mount Pleasant until renamed in 1912 for Major Silas Harlan, who was killed during the American Revolution at the Battle of Blue Licks (August 19, 1782). By the end of the year, the UMWA was once again the nations largest union; it would go on to bankroll the organizing of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the labor upsurge of the 30s. In the southern Appalachian fields stretching from West Virginia to Alabama, there was no union at all. Barbara Kopple: Right. Harlan Bruner, MD is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon at Advanced Neurosurgery Associates and is excited to serve the Gwinnett community. I visited Harlan in 1974 with a contingent from the British miners union. Barbara Kopple: That was that scene, and little did I realize that he was very tough, and all the people told me after, Youre in big trouble now!. Households with a computer, percent, 2017-2021. They were talking about it and I was able to raise $12,000 as a loan from somebody and off I went to film the Miners for Democracy. Todd Melby: The great thing about that scene is that we hear your voice and see him, and it sets up the viewer getting to know who this guy is and the duplicity. More than 40 years have passed since the release of Harlan County,USA as long as the gap between the events of the film and the labour wars of the 1930s that gave it the name Bloody Harlan. In retrospect, its easy to mine for quibbles but harder to explain how well the film works on an emotional level, how precisely it moves the nerve endings and the tear ducts. Heres just one example, from around the 80-minute mark of the film, when two young men show the filmmakers the place where their friend was shot minutes ago. I started doing the during the time of Miners for Democracy. There are no longer any unionized mines in Kentucky, but Harlans miners are currently continuing the regions legacy of labor struggles against wealthy and powerful coal corporations: they are blocking the coal trains from leaving a mine that laid them off. Bill Bruner William Herbert Bruner, Jr., 82, of Owensboro, died January 6, 2021 at Norton Hospital in Louisville, KY. Read today's latest news headlines from Lexington, Kentucky and Fayette County. On 24 August 1974a mine supervisor named Billy C. Bruner shot and killeda 23-year-old striker, Lawrence D. Jones. New machinery would transform underground mining but at the expense of the coal miners themselves. [4]:5688 Their attempts at strikes, while weak in surrounding counties, were utter failures in Harlan, where only a fraction of the workforce walked out in 1931 and 1932. On May 5, 1931 the pot boiled over; in Harlan County Kentucky, heavily armed deputies and company men, called "gun thugs" by miners, confronted disgruntled union men on a road near Evarts. Lawrence Jones, 22 years old, a union member, was wounded in a shootout during the weekend, and died yesterday. -Who shot him? Mr. Miller attended a rally last Thursday after a parade in Harlan. The NLRB Administrative Law Judge, Manrice Bush, concluded, "From the record as a whole, I find and conclude that Eastover deliberately insisted on the nonacceptable no strike clause for the purpose of avoiding coming to terms with the Respondent union on any kind of collective bargaining agreement.". Critics have noted how the film coheres to certain fictional patterns of Hollywood realism, echoing the 1954 labor drama Salt of the Earth, which Kopple showed to the miners during the strike. Generations-- John Egerton 6. Barbara Kopple: Yes and know that if you are passionate enough about it, people will help you. Bill was retired from Kroger and was a member of Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The . Physical removal of protesters from picket lines, weapons fired into miners' homes, verbal threats, and one murder. It had a great impression on me throughout the rest of my career. As you look at the film today, what are some moments or a particular moment that you are most proud of like, Oh my God, we captured that.. Then theres the problem of Kopples approach to the material, a hybrid of advocacy and observation that makes the film seem as though its making up its rules for reality as it goes along. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The incidents involved coal miners and union organizers on one side and coal firms and law enforcement officials on the other. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. It was the latest violent incident in Harlan County, long a scene of labor unrest. Martin County, Kentucky Currently, Martin Countys population is one of the poorest in the United States. Sadly, Harlan Countys troubles persisted through most of the 1930s, still known throughout the region as the Bloody Harlan years. [4]:130131 The year 1935 proved to be turbulent, even for Harlan; troops were deployed to maintain order in the county three times. PROVIDER RATINGS. Victory photo after the miners of the Highsplint mine voted to join the UMWA. Previews and coverage for films playing at DOC NYC 2022, DOC NYC announces the world premieres of new films from, The Kingston Canadian Film Festival returns as Canada's largest showcase devoted exclusively to Canadian films, running, Doug and the Slugs and Me wins the Audience Award for Best Canadian Documentary at the, If/Then Hulu Short Documentary Lab invites applications with an emphasis on LGBTQIA+ storytellers to participate in, In The Colour of Ink, Brian D. Johnson profiles artisanal ink-maker Jason Logan and his creative, Claire Simon delivers a probing documentary epic about women, their bodies, and the intimacy of examining. Also, in retrospect, we know that the film crew, embedded with the miners, were a shield against worse violence, though that role is never reflected upon in the film. It outlawed yellow-dog contracts, company unions, blacklists and discrimination on basis of union activity, all tactics employed by coal companies. The scabs were coming at the cameraman first. While hes layin over in the hospital dying. In the muted aftermath, the company concedes to sign a contract, but even that victory is temporary. . I heard about Harlan County Miners for Democracy. Todd Melby: Ah, smart! I worked on other peoples films doing sound and editing, but this for me was the very first. That was the morning that everybody had guns. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The mine owners have as little regard as ever for the lives of miners and their families. It does not store any personal data. She talks about elections in Harlan County and how they are intrinsically connected to the coal industry. Harlan miners started to organize in the 1920s, a struggle that culminated in a long and violent strike in 1931. Probate records are held by the Harlan County, Kentucky Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Harlan County, Kentucky Genealogy Courthouse. 88.9%. Todd Melby: If I remember correctly, one of the very close opening shots is the miner going into the coal mine on a horizontal conveyor belt. "Bloody Harlan" redirects here. The song Which Side Are You On? became the anthem of a reborn United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) union in the 1930s, then an anthem for [], A journal of theory and strategy published by Jacobin, Taking Back Left Parties From the Brahmins, occupying a railroad track to halt a coal train, Miners and their families responded by occupying the railroad tracks. I think with Harlan County there are so many moments that its hard to pick just one. Miners in Harlan County, Kentucky, have drawn national attention with their direct action occupying a railroad track to halt a coal train . Still time to catch films at @reframefilmfestival, We have tons of reviews and interviews from Sundan, Your Oscar nominees for Best #Documentary Feature, New Films from Kopple, Porter, Pozdorovkin Set for DOC NYC, Free Money Review: The Politics of Giving, Dry Ground Burning Review: An Empowering Favela Hybrid, Blue Box Review: The Big Moral Problem of History, Kingston Canadian Film Festival Brings the Circuit Full Circle, Available Light Film Festival Announces 2023 Award Winners, IF/Then x Hulu Short Documentary Lab Opens to Applications from LGBTQIA+ Storytellers, Our Body Review: Claire Simons Intimately Epic Documentary. Those on the picket line shouted insults at the replacement workers and some even carried weapons. Box 14*. What a buncha Nazi evildoers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCOd7fPHmfU. Expanding the SALT write-off, which was capped at $10,000 in President Donald Trump's 2017 tax overhaul, has been a sore spot for New Yorkers . Veterans have proven to be an asset to the Laboratory and bring a unique background and skillset in service to the nation. It was a nearly decade-long conflict, lasting from 1931 to 1939. WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (UPI) Striking mine workers and the Eastover Mining Company reached agreement today to end a 13month strike that had caused one death and economic hardship to the communities of Harlan County, Ky. Harlan County is well known in folk and country music, having produced many prominent musicians. The Dreiser Committee also discovered the labor folk singer Aunt Molly Jackson and her younger half-brother Jim Garland, putting them on a tour of 38 states to raise funds for the strikers. Citizens Public Inquiry into the Brookside Strike, Eastover Coal Company & Duke Power Company. Thats what a scab does to a person by God, when theyre not lookin. The union organized a divestment campaign, "Dump Duke," in which people were encouraged to sell any stock in Duke Power Company in May of 1974. . "Harlan County" won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1977, but it had been years since the film was shown on the big screen. He was a tough character who had had a lot of suffering of his own, which I didnt know about being young and foolish. [10] The Kentucky National Guard was once again called in on December 8, 1934, requested by UMW organizers who had been threatened by bosses and deputies. Persons per household, 2017-2021. Eastover also hired prisoners to 'provide security' in and around the mine. Get our print magazine for just $20 a year. Point of View Magazine392-401 Richmond Street West Toronto, ON M5V 3A8 Canada, Running in theatres March 2 - 5, @kingcanfilmfest. At that point a young UMW staffer named Bernie Aronson, part of the union reform movement, appears: As I watched this I thought: Bernie AronsonBernie Aronsonwhere have I seen that name before? Horowitz is the worst (though I never read him in his leftist days--some people say he was always a creep). Nearly 30 percent of county residents live in poverty, and most households earn less than $30,000 a year. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. After a month of negotiations with no success, the 180 miners walked off the job and began what would be a 13-month-long strike on 26 July 1973. The strikers expected protection but upon replacing deputized mine guards, the National Guard broke the picket lines instead. <p> Get your payments electronically sent to your checking or savings account to help achieve your goals. Three company men and one striker were killed in the exchange of gunfire. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The 'security guards' and local police often physically removed people from the picket line in order to let cars pass. Bill worked for Sysco and retired after 30+ years as a truck driver. In June of 1973, workers at the Brookside coal mine in Harlan County, Kentucky voted 113-55 to replace their membership in the Southern Labor Union (SLU) and join the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) union. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Harlan miners started to organize in the 1920s, a struggle that culminated in a long and violent strike in 1931. Harlan became one of the poorest counties in the United States. Hennen writes that " [b]y late 1931, four thousand Harlan County miners, more than one in three, were out of work. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. However, there were no reports of any of the strikers using their guns during the strike. Bobby Simpson, 79, has been blind for more than a half-century, but still managed to shovel coal. The U.M.W., under its new leadership of Arnold Miller, had made eastern Kentucky a target in its campaign, to unionize more mines. (Florence Reece appears in the film.) Shortly after Jones' death, 29 August 1974, the Eastover Mining Company offered a contract to the striking workers. Harlan Jason Bruner, MD. [sings] They say in Harlan County, there are no neutrals there. Barbara Kopple: Yes, to the picket line where they were bringing in the scabs. There are plenty of such careerists in movements nowadays. Barbara Kopple: I never felt that. I was told if I was ever alone at night that they would kill me, so I promised the head gun thug, Basil Collins, he wouldnt catch me alone at night. (Kopple says she and her crew were beaten until the strikers rescued them.) These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Stellar Skarsgard plays Warren Jacopovich, UMWA organizer. [6][7][8] The most violent attack by mine workers occurred on May 5, 1931 and became known as the Battle of Evarts. [11] As national political support for the NIRA dwindled, capital gained the upper hand, and when the United States Supreme Court struck down the legislation's pro-union National Recovery Administration portion, shops with union presence in Harlan dwindled from eighteen to one. This was on a main road. [4]:67 Florence Reece, wife of organizer Sam Reece, wrote the labor standard "Which Side Are You On?". Which Side Are You On? was written in the immediate aftershock of a midnight raid on Reeces home and her children by Harlan County sheriff J. H. Blair, in search of her husband. A striking coal miner was in critical condition last night in Harlan County, Ky., after being struck in the head by a shotgun blast. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. (Robert Gumpert / Appalshop Archive). SPECIALTIES Neurosurgery, Spine & Back. The Harlan County War, or Bloody Harlan, was a series of coal industry skirmishes, executions, bombings and strikes (both attempted and realized) that took place in Harlan County, Kentucky, during the 1930s.The incidents involved coal miners and union organizers on one side and coal firms and law enforcement officials on the other. The Harlan County War, or Bloody Harlan, was a series of coal mining-related skirmishes, executions, bombings, and strikes (both attempted and realized) that took place in Harlan County, Kentucky, during the 1930s. The Global NonviolentAction Database is aproject of Swarthmore College, including the Peace and Conflict Studies Program, the Peace Collection, and the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility. She talks about elections in Harlan strikers rescued Them. 1931 to 1939 traffic! Public Inquiry into the Brookside strike, Eastover coal company & Duke Power company metrics the of! 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