Bloody Harlan Kentucky: In The Deep Dark Hills of Eastern Kentucky
Bloody Harlan Kentucky: In The Deep Dark Hills of Eastern Kentucky
Harlan Kentucky is known as Bloody Harlan for a reason- nearly a hundred years of bitter and violent labor disputes between coal companies and mine workers seeking to unionize. The song says you’ll never leave Harlan alive, but watch this episode to see what locals are doing to save their town and adapt in light of the dying coal industry.
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Song Playlist:
Baptized and Buried by Will Harrison
Blacklake Waters by Northside
Bluegrass Bean by Undertowns
Bull’s Head Bay by Roy Edwin Williams
Country Gold by Hunter Quinn
Dontcha Wanna by Gabriel Kelley
Lackawanna Trai by Roy Williams
Solstice Meander by American Legion
Love hearing from you where we should explore next!
since your channel is big enough for monetization you could just add channel memberships here on youtube instead of going the patreon route as well. that’s what i’ve done recently and it was pretty easy.
My distant relatives were formerly enslaved people that were miners in that county for generations. 1870s-1950s.
1st heard about Harlan from the great Tyler Childers, I’ve been intrigued since, with both mentioned of course.
Subscribed 👍
Man! Love this video and it really hits home to me! My Parents are from WVA and Eastern Ky and both Grandads were Minors! I was born and raised in Columbus but spent many of days in Jenkins Ky and Bencreek WVA!
Both my parents are from Kentucky but I’m from Ohio and I love Kentucky I always have every since I was a little girl going on trips to see relatives.
My husbands great uncle Rufus Wilder died in a mine collapse in Harlan Kentucky on July 4th 1946. He had 5 children. My husband never got to meet him as he wasn’t born yet. My husband’s granddad Jonathan Wilder told him all about. Very, very tragic.
I’ve enjoyed a couple of jeep trips there, to play in the 7,000 acre Black Mountain offroad area.
I liked the tattoo shop owner, Timothy and his doggid stubbornness and independent self determination.
Harlan County born and raised.. 🙋♀️❤🙏
Last night I finished the latest book by one of my favorite authors …Barbara Kingsolver….Called Demon Copperhead. It takes place in Lee County VA and is about a young boy growing up there and the opioid epidemic that spread through the community. I highly recommend it.
Race? Are we watching the same video? How could anyone possibly take anything racial away from this video? Come on, man!
Good job young man, we should never forget the past, those that do, are doomed to repeat it.👍
My family is from Harlan and were coal miners who moved to Texas in 1930 because of black lung disease. I traveled back to Harlan for the first time at the age of 64 to see my home land. What a great place. Thanks for showing me places I did not get to see.
In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
That’s the place where I trace my bloodline
And it’s there I read on a hillside gravestone
"You’ll never leave Harlan alive” 🎶 ~ Patty Loveless
I love my home town Harlan my thank you so much for sharing
Gainesboro, TN has a Poke Sallet festival too. My wife was actually Poke Sallet Queen back in the day. 😄
Shout out Eastern Ky. Born to lose, but always findin ways to survive.
I looked the county up – it had 75,000 in 1940. In 2020 it was down to 25,000. To lose 2/3 of its peak population is just so strange to a person from California. While its had a net lost of population the last few years in my lifetime almost every town I’ve lived in has doubled or even tripled in population.
The UMWA held a rally in Harlan during what was called the pistonstrike. thousands of UMWA members were there to support striking miners. i was proud to be one of them.long live the UMWA and Cecil Roberts.
My grandpa was from Harlan
How on earth did you do harlan and Cumberland gap yet did nothing on pineville or middlesboro?
I had a blast there miss that town
Fascinating and enjoyable videos. But if you don’t mind me asking why do you refer to the Civil War as ‘what is known as the American civil war’? Why not call it just the ‘Civil War’?
Lookout for Raylan Givens and Boyd Crowder! Makes me wanna rewatch Justified again 😁
My grandparents were from Harlan. Married 60 years and so kind. Miss them dearly.
Not too far away from harlan. In Williamsburg. Whitley county
Ever hear of the show justified? :D. Yup, that’s why I’m here
I wish industry or something would help these Appalachian towns economically grow. 🥺
Nice to see the town of Aintry. What did happen on the cahullawahsee🧐
Last time in Harlan was a few years ago during covid. Stopped in the Pizza Portal and there was a chalkboard sign — "Due to covid we are short staffed. If you are impatient, inquire about a job application within." Love it – Only in Kentucky ! 🤣
The clear message — don’t whine or bitch if you are not willing to be part of a solution. 💪
One of the most Currupt places
I knew of poke sallet from reading Joan Hess’ series "Maggody", and where I live it’s called poke weed. It grows all over my yard and the birds love it. Thanks, MR!
Looks like a real shit hole.
Where’s Boyd crowder and raylan givens? 😝
Pause: “ road circus”, funnel cakes,stop,get funnel cakes,continue.
My grandad left Harlan during WWII and eventually settled in Floyd Co.; as a prominent businessman.
The music @ 5.30 sounds Irish, thanks for sharing 😊
My paternal roots are from Harlan County. My Dad was born in Twila and my Grandparents were from Wallins Creek.
Introduction is the same way my family came through in the Gap and lived in Harlan before moving further into Indiana, they were with others from the same area, neighbors, family and their enemies!
I would love to see a tour of Evarts. Ever hear of the Hurley family? I think their home was on the road to Black Mountain Baptist Church.
Poke Salad, not Sallet.
It isn’t rocket science…why things are the way they are. Ever look at a map? Wonder why there are so many counties compared to surrounding states? Why they are shaped the way they are? How everybody knows everybody…yet the drugs are so rampant? Follow the money. Nothing will ever change because it is profitable to those few.
Hauled coal out of Loyall and Shelby yard for 15 years until obUma happened. He killed Kentucky coal. And our jobs
My great uncle was
named for this area,
or more like this Harlan
was related to us.
Sadly. Don’t ask.
I’m honest and hopefully
good. Not so much the
rest of the clan.
D*MN their sorry *sses, anyway.
My parents are from Harlan County. My dad from Chad and my mom from Lynch. I’m named after the man that founded Chad and Nolansburg.
Wow! Accidentally came upon Harlan County mentioned in Carolyn Brown’s "Banty House" book.Googled it and found a link to your video. This was great content/quality. A small town with great history. KUDOS to Timothy, old & current perspective, so much detailing just a few minutes. Thanks for making this. 22 court houses destroyed & coalminer history…still alive & kicking.
My 4th GG served with Col Clark in the revolution and settled in eastern KY in 1780. Him and his family eventually migrated to Illinois territory in 1795. Originally from Virginia.
Harlan, come for the festival, stay for the meth.