Ann Montague, second from left, with two WV Rosie the Riveters and Bill Ramsey on the far right at the Charleston Marriott, Aug. 14th.
I attended the statewide meeting of groups supporting the WV Labor History Week resolution passed by the WV Legislation this year. Below are some of the photos I took. It was great to see Ann Montague there with several WV Rosie the Riveters plus all of the others groups. Betty Carver, director of the WV Tourist Office, spoke. Even WV AFL-CIO prez Kenny Perdue attended and spoke.
Gordon Simmons, prez of the WV Labor History Assn, with Betty Carver, director of the WV Tourism Office
He told a story about asking a group of 50 people if they had ever heard of the Battle of Blair Mountain. None had. I can’t count the number of times I have asked people in WV if they knew who Mother Jones was – and they had NO IDEA.
Bill Ramsey, the prez of the group, did a great job moving along the agenda, getting it all down to a little over an hour. I had to leave before he showed a video, “What is Labor History”. 
Dr. Fred Barkey, one of WV’s leading labor historians, with WV Labor History Assn. prez Gordon Simmons
Dr. Fred Barkey talked about the 1,000 copies warehoused by the WV Humanities Council of the teacher’s guide he wrote more than 20 years ago that help teachers bring WV labor history to their classrooms. ( Hopefully, they will be sent out and used rather than sit in a warehouse for another 20 years.)
The group also talked about bringing the message to History Day at the Legislature, having an essay contest in 2011. ( There is a statewide poster contest this year. More below.)
Everyone gave their applause to the group of Rosie’s that Ann Montague brought to the event, and one person even suggested that local school children should contact their local Rosie and perhaps do their WV labor history poster about them. ( Montague showed a great painting done by one Rosie of another at the event.) The Rosies are making a quilt that will be displayed on Labor Day in Paden City at their annual Labor Day Parade. There will be a dinner on Labor Day in Mannington, Marion County, and Tom Rule talked about a get together at the Whipple Store in Fayette County the Saturday before Labor Day, sponsord by Wess Harris, the publisher of “When Miners March.”
There will be more events to come on WV’s Labor Day and the poster contest winners will be posted on a new website. More to come.
I have been waiting for this event for 32 years and I am sure that many other West Virginians have been waiting even longer. Our state’s great labor history is barely known and it’s time to tell the world, including ourselves, about it.
Parlor D at the Charleston Marriott with labor history groups
West Virginia Library Commission Resources page for WV Labor History Week -
http://wvlcguides.org/content.php?pid=130497
Info on the 2010 WV Labor History poster contest -
The teacher of the 1st Place Winners will receive
$150.00!
The teacher of the 2nd Place Winners will receive $75.00
RULES and REGULATIONS:
- • Each entry must be postmarked by midnight on September 17, 2010;
- • Each entry must have completed ENTRY FORM attached to the back of the entry;
- • Each entry must illustrate any aspect(s) of labor history and working people in West
Virginia;
- • Each entry must have the artist’s name in the bottom right hand corner, no larger than ½”
in height;
- • Each entry must be on 12” x 18” paper with a ½” white border on all sides;
- • Each entry must be two-dimensional;
- • Each entry must be smear protected (for pastel or chalk work please spray with protective
spray); and
- • Limit entries to two per school!
- • Please mail entries to: Ms. Cheryl Judy
PO Box 15065
Marmet, West Virginia 25365
WINNING ENTRIES will be reprinted and sent to various public entities – public
libraries, government buildings, museums, schools, etc.
IDEA STARTERS: Mother Jones, Coal Camps, Blair Mountain, Monongalia Mine Disaster,
Hawk’s Nest Disaster, Importation of Foreign Workers, Glassmaking, Pottery, Company Stores,
Iron and Metal Works, and Ma Buzzard.
All prize monies have been generously donated by the Affiliated Construction Trades of WV and
the North Central Labor Council (AFL-CIO).
The following ENTRY FORM may be copied and attached to the back of each entry.
School _________________________________________ County _________________
School Address _________________________________________________ Zip ____________
School Phone Number (______)_____________________ Grade Level (circle one)
Student Name _____________________________________________ K-5
Student Address ___________________________________________ 6-8
_____________________________ Zip___________ 9-12
VOCA
Student Signature ________________________ Parent Signature ________________________
Teacher Name ___________________________________________ Date __________________
$100.00
1st Place
$50.00
2nd Place
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