Happy Labor Day Virden
I hope everyone is enjoying their labor day weekend!
Unfortunately, the out of work miners at the recently closed coal mine in nearby Virden won't be doing much celebrating this weekend. The mine closure reminded me that one of the bloodier episodes in Illinois labor history happened in Virden.
I found two articles worth reading online at the NIU Library website.
It was an important episode in the struggle to establish unions in Illinois coal mines and the miners who died there in 1898 are buried in the Miner's cemetery at Mt. Olive along with Mother Jones.
Comments
I wish more people would remember and find inspiration in this important local labor history. My grandfather was a union miner in the mine beneath Springfield Clinic's offices on West Monroe/Old Jax. Before he passed away at age 92, he told me many stories of disaster and tragedy, of men and boys who died young because of the coal owners' greed, of the coal miners' war in the early 1930s. With the recent and senseless tragedy in Utah, maybe America will wake up and recognize that our basic comforts come with a bloody pricetag. The history at Virden is the history of America. We should not forget it, especially since Virden will hurt again with the recent mine closing. Solidarity forever.
Posted by: MichaelZiri | September 2, 2007 9:12 PM
Thanks for the comment Mike!
I know I had ancestors in the Virden area at the time of 1898 strike and I also had ancestors that were coal miners. But, I'm not aware of having any that participated in the strike. I'll have to check with my family genealogist (Mom).
Posted by: Will | September 4, 2007 12:52 PM
Mike Ziri, wish you would blog. Or, if you already do, wish I knew where. If you don't, please consider it. Thanks. (Sorry, Will, for using your blog to send OT messages.)
Posted by: Marie | September 8, 2007 1:40 AM