Good comrade, Cannot view today but fully intend to see.
Thank you, JAI On Sun, Aug 2, 2026 at 8:06 PM Peter Rachleff <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 historical content.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 >>> >> >> >> --- > To unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> > List help: <https://riseup.net/lists> > -- JAI -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. 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