Young William C. Blizzard while working at the Charleston Gazette in 1959. Photo by Lew Raines. Posted at WMM website
Wess Harris, publisher of Blizzard’s 2004 book “When Miners March,”led a group of about 50 people on Saturday at 10 AM at the WV Cultural Center paying tribute to the life of William C. Blizzard, the son of UMWA leader Bill Blizzard. Most people wore red bandannas, the origin of the term “red neck.” Ross Ballard II, the man who created the amazing audio “movie” version of the book, was also one of the leaders of the service. Bill Weed played the pipes before the ceremony on the steps of the Cultural Center and “Amazing Grace” at the end of the internment ceremony in South Charleston.
Attorney General McGraw with Wess Harris
Some of the people at the ceremony included George Daugherty, “The Earl of Elkview,” Attorney General Darrel McGraw, past WV Democratic Party chairman Pat Maroney, members of the UMWA, President of the WV Labor History Assoc. Gordon Simmons and WVLHA president emeritus Dr. Fred Barkey, and WV activist Julian Martin.
George Daugherty, “Earl of Elkview,” and Ross Ballard II with photo of Blizzard and his remains + red scarf
Other people included Bill Kovarik, professor at Radford University and editor of Appalachian Voice, writer and activist Rick Wilson, academic Dave Stanley, WV history expert Yvonne Farley, Joe Carter, president of UMWA District 17, Martha Ballman from the Preservation Alliance, Kenny King, the expert on The Battle of Blair Mountain who has been in several local films. Joel Watts, administrator for the WV Board of Mine Health and Safety, led the grave site prayer and told the assembled about the union tradition of laying of the pines.
WV Labor History Assn. president Gordon Simmons and UE field officer with Steve Thompson, president of the UE Local 170 for the State Capitol Complex
The remains of Bill were placed next to the last photo of Bill in the Great Hall. After a few greetings, Wess emceed the event. Several people talked about Bill, most notably Charleston Gazette report Paul Nyden who started his journalism career in WV by co-authoring a piece about coalfield baseball with Blizzard when they both lived in Beckley. Danny Wells of the Charleston Gazette also spoke as did Molly Thompson, the 10 year old daughter of filmmaker Kelley Thompson. She had a sample of coal she had gotten at the Beckley Exhibition Mine that she wanted to give to Blizzard. At the cemetery, it was placed in front of the box that held his remains.
Former Charleston Gazette reporter and now WV Delegate Danny Wells , Ross Ballard and Paul Nyden to far right
Elaine Purkey singing some of Blizzard’s favorite songs, ending with a few choruses of “Solidarity Forever” song by everyone
Elaine Purkey along with Kate Long sang several tunes in honor of Blizzard, and the ceremony ended with people singing several choruses of “Solidarity Forever.” ( Some taken from an expanded Wikipedia article on the song which was written by Ralph Chaplin after living and working in WV. Purkey told me about this several years ago.)
Solidarity Forever– edited version for William C. Blizzard Memorial Service
When the union’s inspiration through the workers’ blood shall run,
There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun;
Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one,
But the union makes us strong.
CHORUS:Solidarity forever,Solidarity forever,Solidarity forever, For the union makes us strong.
They say our day is over;
they say our time is through,
They say you need no union if your collar isn’t blue,
Well that is just another lie the boss is telling you,
For the Union makes us strong! (Chorus)They divide us by our color; they divide us by our tongue,They divide us men and women,; they divide us old and young,But they’ll tremble at our voices, when they hear these verses sung,For the Union makes us strong!(Chorus)
Bill Weed played the bagpipes outside the Cultural Center before the ceremony and then played “Amazing Grace” in the cemetery
Ross Ballard read this great quote during the memorial service in The Cultural Center from a tribute paid to Robert Kennedy after his assasination -
“Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
After the ceremony, a group of cars drove to the Sunset Memorial Park in South Charleston where another short ceremony was held. Members were given evergreen branches like people used to do, given to them to put on the casket of the deceased miner. Because Bill was a veteran, he also had a gun salute and taps played.
Military gun salute for Mr. Blizzard
It was one of the most moving ceremonies I have ever been to. Thanks to Wess Harris, who literally rescued Bill from a broken down trailer in Winfield, and published his great book. He was like a son to Bill, taking care of him like a kind son would during a father’s declining years. Thanks to Wess, people all over the state, country and world have learned about William C. Blizzard and his family, the first family of WV’s union fighters. He hopes that one day a proper grave marker will be placed at Bill Blizzard’s grave, not just the family marker that exists. Wess was instrumental in getting a history road marker placed in front of UMWA District 17 headquarters in downtown Charleston.
Larry Gibson, Pat Raroney and George George Daugherty, after the cemetery ceremonyAt the end of the ceremony at Sunset, I met the manager of the cemetery – the nephew of another great UMWA leader, Frank Keeney, who was also a fighter along with Blizzard on Cabin Creek-Paint Creek and at The Battle of Blair Mountain. The WV Labor History Association has recently inducted both Keeney and Bill Blizzard into the WV Labor Hall of Honor.
Charleston filmmaker Kelley Thompson who filmed the Cultural Center ceremony. He interviewed Blizzard for an hour for his hit film, “The Widen Film Project.”
Kelley Thompson, directed of “The Widen Film Project” who interviewed Blizzard for that film, also recorded the ceremony at the Cultural Center. Hopefully he will edit that footage along with his complete 1-hour interview with Blizzard for the Widen film. Hopefully I will be able to show the footage in May at the 2009 WV Labor Film Festival at The La Belle Theater, co-sponsored by SCM and WVLHA.
The final ceremony in the cemetery. The Blizzard Family Marker is in the middle
A TV crew from Channel 7/12 was at the ceremony and Blizzard’s obituary was published all over the country, listed along with other greats who recently passed away including Helen Suzman, the one white legislator in South Africa who fought apartheid.
Media note – You can watch an excellent interview that Gordon Simmons (pictured above) did with Mr. Blizzard and Wess Harris several years ago. Visit any local WV public library, and using one of their internet computers, visit this page -
http://www.wvlc.lib.wv.us/html/videoserver/ltn/wvauthor.html
Scroll down near the bottom and four shows up called “When Miners March,” you can watch the streaming video. At this time, the video is ONLY available at WV public library web computers.
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