WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

Today in Labor History August 3, 1886: Labor activist and song writer Florence Reece was born. She participated in Harlan County, Kentucky coal strikes. And she penned the famous labor song, "Which Side Are You On?" She wrote the song in 1931 on an old wall calendar while Sheriff J.H. Blair was searching for her husband and ransacking her home. Blair had led his gang of thugs on a violent rampage, beating and murdering union leaders.

They say in Harlan Co.
There are no neutrals there
You'll either be a Union man
Or a thug for J.H. Blair.
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7ZHfZt4o6c&t=19s

#WorkingClass #LaborHistory #LaborSong #FolkMusic #FlorenceReece #HarlanCounty #mining #union #strike #kentucky

Today in Labor History May 5, 1931: The Infamous Battle of Harlan County, Kentucky occurred. Also known as the Battle of Evarts, the strike began in response to wage cuts implemented in February. On May 5, a scab accosted a union worker, resulting in three deaths. Governor Flem Sampson called in the National Guard, which killed several more union miners. The Harlan County class war was the inspiration for Florence Reece's famous union song "Which Side Are You On?" The strike continued for years, with the miners finally winning in 1940.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPFY8CwAKU0

#WorkingClass #LaborHistory #strike #union #FlorenceReece #WhichSideAreYouOn #scab #massacre

Today in Labor History April 12, 1900: Florence Reece was born. Reece was an activist in the Harlan County, Kentucky, coal strikes, and author of the song, “Which Side Are You On?” She wrote the song in 1931, during a UMW strike, in response to Sheriff Blair’s thugs, who beat & murdered union leaders. Florence wrote the song on an old wall calendar while her home was being ransacked by Blair’s goons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7ZHfZt4o6c

#WorkingClass #LaborHistory #FlorenceReece #Harlan #coal #mining #union #strike #WhichSideAreYouOn #umw

https://piped.kavin.rocks/watch?v=Nzudto-FA5Y
#MayDay #FlorenceReece #WhichSideAreYouOn

While it pains me to link to anything on Pootube, I'll make an exception for May Day. Here's Florence Reece, late in life, singing the song she wrote long before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzudto-FA5Y

#mayday #workersday #florencereece #whichsideareyouon