Wiki for Dr. McClurkens Courses

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You should do a total of 2-3 comments/questions/observations this week. You do not need to post to all areas. – Dr. McClurken

DO NOT DELETE OTHER PEOPLE'S COMMENTS – Please be careful as you add your posts that you are not deleting anyone else's work. – Dr. McClurken

====== How does this movie work as a secondary source? What does the movie get right about history? ======

There seemed to be attention paid to historical detail in this film. Particularly when addressing the circumstances of the miners, which were incredibly stark, the details of the film are accurate. An example of this would be the inclusion of details about company scrip and the types of items workers would be charged for by the company. The inclusion of these types of details creates an atmosphere of desperation among the characters in the film which can be felt very strongly by the audience. I also really appreciated the music included towards the opening of the film. I would be interested to know if that music was based on historical folk music from the area. - Rickie

The movie depicts the struggle of the miners throughout the movie as overcoming one hurdle after another, which is accurate to the obstacles that the real miners faced. The film does a good job depicting how much control the company had over all aspects of the employee’s lives: from mentioning company scrip, to the company practically owning all of the land in the town, including the houses the miners lived in. - Ewan H

I thought this film did many things well. For one, I thought they did a good at depicting the rough conditions that miners lived in during the early 20th century. This was depicted in numerous different ways throughout the film, such as when they highlight how miners were paid in company script (which they could only use in company stores) and the company owning the houses that miners lived in. In doing this, big business was able to largely control how miners lived their lives, ensuring that their workers were almost fully dependent on their employers. In 2024, this is almost unfathomable to me to imagine having absolutely no separation between your home life and work, yet as the film highlights large groups of people were subjected to it.----Thomas K.

I think that this flim is a greta secondary source.The film effectively captures the dire working conditions faced by miners and the violent confrontations with mining companies. The film's depiction of the Matewan massacre serves as a great reminder of the sacrifices made by those who wanted justice and better conditions. This movie sticks to historical accuracy. Matewan teach the viewers of a significant yet often overlooked chapter in American history. ---jedidia k

The movie shows the sacrifices miners had to go through and the struggles they faced. It was historically accurate, and this makes it a good secondary source -Kazu Ferris

Matewan gets a lot right about the harsh realities of coal mining towns. Companies exploited workers, controlled their homes, and kept them indebted through company scrip. The movie highlights the real struggle of miners trying to unionize through the United Mine Workers of America while facing violent resistance from coal companies, which hired armed Baldwin-Felts agents to suppress their efforts. It also accurately shows how union organizers bridged racial and ethnic divides to unite workers, a crucial strategy for their movement. The dramatic shootout at the end of the film captures the tensions of the time, marking a turning point in the fight for workers' rights. -Sam B

I think the film gets a lot right about the conditions and livelihood of mineworkers in the first half of the 20th century. It was hard and dangerous work, where many died and were injured. Most of the women shown in the movie are widows, showing how deadly this profession could be. The movie also highlights the monopoly these coal companies set up in a town, especially through depicting scrip as the currency compared to cash. The film also centers around the unionized nature of these coal towns. Coal miners weren’t treated fairly or compensated for how dangerous of an occupation it was. They were angry and tired, often leading to skirmishes between the union and officers hired by the mine company. The film also addresses the presence of the Baldwin Felts Agency which was a company focused on the big crackdown of workers and their ability to unionize. - Emma Galvin

This movie is incredibly accurate as a secondary source. It’s clear through the setting (including the detail put into the town), costuming, and accurate dialects (though I’m no dialect expert; it sounds right from my untrained ears) that the makers of the film wanted to create an immersive and historically accurate movie. Something else I took notice of was how well the movie does showing the range of power the mining companies had in towns. They owned the houses, paid the miners in company credit that’s only valuable in the over-priced company stores, could easily play off local law enforcement and politicians, and more. — Allie

As far as I could tell, this movie had little to no errors in fact other than a couple of very small things and a few fictional characters. We had discussed that this was a movie made on a budget with a small production, and you could definitely tell. However, I do think that this added to the realism of the movie. Small production depicting a small town. If the production had been larger I feel as though there would have been a larger amount of exaggeration at play here. --Emma F.
====== Problems with historical accuracy? Errors in fact? ======

I think that the film was historically accurate overall, with only some minor inconsistencies and errors that could be considered nitpicks. -Kazu Ferris

While Matewan brings the coal miners' struggle to life, it simplifies and dramatizes some historical details. Characters like union organizer Joe Kenehan are fictional composites, and real-life figures like Sid Hatfield are portrayed with a heroic aura that history does not fully support. The shootout is mostly accurate but staged to feel like a more balanced showdown than the skirmish it likely was. The film also leaves out some of the long-term effects of the massacre, which continued to fuel labor resistance. While the movie emphasizes racial unity among the miners, in reality, bridging those divides would have been a lot more complicated than what was shown. -Sam B
====== How does the film’s overall interpretation(s) deviate from scholarly historical sources? ======

Overall, this movie does a good job staying pretty accurate to the real-life experiences that were depicted in the primary sources. The brutality of the mines, the ages of the miners and the helplessness they felt, were things I all saw in the movie. I felt that the movie erred on the side of too nice (although I was glad for it, I don't want to watch 12 year olds die on screen), but the feelings were there. The desperation the people of Matewan felt is something I saw reflected in the primary sources. I do feel though, that the representation of African Americans in this film left something to be decided. Though they were a presence in the film, I felt that there could have been a little more focus on the problems they were dealing with, especially when put in comparison with the sources. It was more than just fair wages, it was the right to the same spaces and treatment as other employees. - Caty

====== How does this movie work as a primary source about the time in which it was made? ======

This movie was not only depicting a historical event (which they did very well), but was also making a statement about the treatment of workers and unions in the 80s as well. Labor unions were being weakened, companies were putting more emphasis on profit rather than customer satisfaction, and working hours were being extended. All of this didn’t improve when the stock market crashed later in 1987, just two months after this film was released. --Emma F.
====== The "So What" Question ======

This work is important because it showcases something not typically talked about in American history. When people think of the industrial era, and the rise of the union, they (or at least I) think of events like the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, or the Newsies. Up until three days ago I had never heard of Matewan, and what that did for the mining unions. This movie is important because even though it wasn't mainstream (no one I know has heard of this), when one does choose to watch it, they learn something new about America. That's what makes this influential, it doesn't have to win an Oscar to be a good piece of work. Matewan shows an event that was significant to not only West Virginia, but the history of America. -  Caty

This film serves as a sharp criticism of a time period and event which many Americans do not have much exposure to or knowledge about. Despite the fact that this was a smaller film which reached a smaller audience, it still holds significant value which has been recognized. For example, the Library of Congress chose to preserve this film in the National Film Registry, signifying the importance this piece holds to the country culturally and historically. - Rickie

I think Matewan is a reminder to the tragedies of the mine workers. As said in some previous comments, I agree that I haven’t heard that much about this side of American history. The film shows the anger of citizens from this period in American history and the damage that was made towards people of color, minors, and the workers in general. -Leah

A movie like this is important to analyze as it covers a part of American history that is normally brushed over in lots of media: labor history. Telling a story of the labor movement through this case study serves as a unique frame for a historical film. Also this film being a smaller film as opposed to a major motion picture can reveal what those types of films do with the material. This smaller production could answer the questions of accuracy and avoid falling into traps of mainstream movies like using famous actors or needing a lot of action (although the former isn’t really avoided in this movie). - Ewan H

As someone who knew very little about the conflict between coal miners and big business in the early 20th century, I find it a shame that Matewan is such a difficult film to find to watch. This film, as others so eloquently said covers an extremely overlooked era of American history that is hardly talked about for whatever reason. In my opinion, this film ties into the history and highly romanticized stories of the 20th centuries most famous criminals such as Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, and many others as the miners of Matawan came to represent the average American’s struggle against “the man.” Tied to this, I find it interesting that Sid Hatfield is not talked about more being that he was distantly related to many of the infamous Hatfield’s that took part in their bloody feud with the McCoy’s. Rambling aside, this film is increasingly important as we live in an era where the livelihood of miners is threated once again as the business is continuing to die out. ----Thomas K.

This movie is very important because it shows a part of history that is unknown or forgotten by many Americans. It brings to light the labor struggles and the fight for workers' rights in the early 20th century, particularly in the context of the coal miners' strikes in West Virginia. the film emphasizes the harsh realities of exploitation and the courage to stand up against corporate interests.the Matewan can be a very educational movie about that time - jedidia k

Through watching this film, it was definitely made as a passion project. It highlighted an era of history not many people know or realize. Mine work was hard and the only movie I’ve seen that centers around miners is October Sky, which even then doesn’t highlight the struggles of mining to the same degree. This movie can be used as a way to teach people about unions and mine conditions. When learning about unions, it’s often through the lens of inner city factory work and only learn about it during the height of industrialization. This movie shows that unions and strikes happened throughout the U.S. and not just in cities. I think this movie also stands out from other films made at this time, one because the topic matter is unique, and because it’s relatively accurate, something less commonly achieved in the 1980s. It highlights that a story can be intriguing and interesting while also being accurate, which a lot of other directors and movie makers think isn’t the case. - Emma Galvin

Unfortunately, labor history is rarely, if ever, taught in history classes. When it is taught, it’s often very broadly discussed and with many of the uncomfortable details removed. Combine that with living in an era where most adults have grown comfortable in these protections, like those in the coal miner wars, because they can’t remember a time before them, and it becomes quite easy to take such protections for granted. This movie shows the grim reality laborers faced for decades and forces the audience to think more critically about the purpose of unionizing and worker/labor protections. — Allie

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