Comrades:
I am struck by Brother Imani's comment that the Matewan story -- and
others -- was unknown to him. I want to offer him, and all of you, this
little video: https://vimeo.com/1047554786 It is hardly on the
artistic scale of "Matewan," but, I would like to think, it is rich in its
historical content. I thank my comrade Ben Mchie of the African American
Registry (check them out) for his work as director and videographer. I
also encourage you to explore the East Side Freedom Library in St. Paul,
Minnesota, as a space where labor history is kept alive.
Love and Solidarity,
Peter
On Sun, Aug 2, 2026 at 1:17 PM John A Imani via groups.io <johnaimani3=
[email protected]> wrote:
> Good comrade,
>
> It's sad to say but I had never heard of these incidents.
>
> As a piece of filmmaking, IMO, it is first rate.
>
> But even more than that, the history detailed itself gives the possibility
> of cross-racial, cross-national and, even, cross-political cooperation, esp
> as regards local cop Hatfield's defense of the miners against the
> intrusions of big business. Food for thought.
>
> No. I am not advocating cooperation with the police. I am simply
> bringing up the point that policing forces, esp the state's national
> guards, contain within themselves contradictions that the greater the
> oppression the more likely it is that cracks will develop within the 'blue
> lines'. That oppression will certainly get more so than less until we, as
> a people, rise up and tell the system to go fck itself and seize control of
> the state machinery with the express purpose of diminishing, withering,
> abolishing its purpose and its existence.
>
> "Matewan" continues on TCM On Demand until August 8.
>
> JAI
>
> On Sat, Aug 1, 2026 at 11:00 PM henry duke <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> Oh my gosh, yes, John, this movie is so excellent and uplifting !
>> Best,
>> henry
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* [email protected] <
>> [email protected]> on behalf of John A Imani <
>> [email protected]>
>> *Sent:* Thursday, July 30, 2026 12:42 PM
>> *To:* dopex-losangeles <[email protected]>; change-links
>> <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>
>> *Subject:* [change-links] "Matewan"
>>
>> Comrades,
>>
>> Saw a really interesting (and good) movie on TCM On Demand (available
>> until August 6) . "Matewan" (1987)
>> <https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=matewan+massacre>.
>> Appalachian coal miners in the 1920s. Bout how black and Italian "dagos"
>> joined with 'dirt-poor' W Virginian white folks to fight for a union.
>>
>> "Matewan" was written and directed by John Sayles
>> <https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=John+Sayles> (who
>> also was the main producer). Interesting role as 'Few Clothes' is James
>> Earl Jones.
>> <https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=James+Earl+Jones.>
>>
>> The movie's like "Harlan County, USA"
>> <https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=%22Harlan+County%2C+USA%22>
>> that took place and was made in the 1970s. But while "Harlan" was more
>> documentary-like, this one is dramatic but still showing sht as it was.
>> What was really interesting to me was how the local law enforcement (esp
>> in the person on one Sid Hatfield
>> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Hatfield>) sided with the miners
>> against the thugs of the Baldwin–Felts guards
>> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwin%E2%80%93Felts_Detective_Agency>,
>> hired by the mine owners, The Stone Mountain Coal Company. Hatfield (yes,
>> a descendant of the legendary Hatfield/McCoy feud)
>> <https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=+Hatfield%2FMcCoy+feud%29>
>> was murdered by the Baldwin-Felts gang in 1921.
>> Battle of Matewan
>> Wikipedia
>> https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Battle_of_Matewan
>> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Matewan>
>>
>> Although the movie is a dramatization it is filled with personages and
>> issues based on history.
>>
>> This is the AI conspectus:
>>
>> The Battle of Matewan (also known as the *Matewan Massacre*) was a
>> shootout in the town of Matewan in Mingo County and the Pocahontas
>> Coalfield mining ...
>>
>> AI Overview
>>
>> People also ask:
>>
>> Is Matewan a true story?
>>
>> Yes, Matewan <https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093509/> is based on a real
>> event, specifically the historic Matewan Massacre (or Battle of Matewan)
>> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Matewan> that happened on May
>> 19, 1920, in West Virginia. The 1987 film uses real historical figures like
>> police chief Sid Hatfield and Mayor Cabell Testerman, but it also adds some
>> fictional characters and subplots to tell the story.
>> Real Historical Facts
>>
>> - *The Shootout:* A deadly gunfight erupted on May 19, 1920, between
>> local town defenders and private agents from the Baldwin-Felts Detective
>> Agency.
>> - *The Cause:* The detectives were evicting striking coal mining
>> families from company-owned houses.
>> - *The Casualties:* Ten men died in the short fight, including *seven
>> detective agents (JAI: E.A.)*, two miners, and Mayor Cabell Testerman
>> .
>>
>>
>> - *Real People:* Figures like Police Chief Sid Hatfield and Mayor
>> Testerman were real-life leaders who opposed the detective agency.
>>
>>
>> JAI
>>
>
>
>
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