Courage in the hollers: interpreting coal miners? March and battle on blair mountain [the museum will use an implementation grant to launch the third phase of courage in the hollers: interpreting coal…

The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum $550,000 on January 1, 2026, under the Promotion of the Humanities Public Programs (CFDA 45.164) to launch the third phase of "Courage in the Hollers: Interpreting Coal Miners' March and Battle on Blair Mountain," a two-year public humanities project.

The museum will create free interpretive materials and permanent public installations spanning 50 miles across four counties in West Virginia that examine the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain—the largest armed labor uprising in U.S. history. The project explores three themes: the scope of democratic rights, uneasy solidarity across racial, ethnic, and gender divides, and public memory. Deliverables include historical signage, audio posts, an interactive website, and Clio app entries, all designed to make Blair Mountain's legacy publicly accessible and to focus on miners' defense of union recognition and civil liberties and their collective efforts to overcome social divisions.

Performance of the work runs from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2027, and occurs in West Virginia. This is an implementation grant that represents the third phase of a multi-phase initiative the museum has been developing with prior NEH planning support.

Courage in the hollers: interpreting coal miners? March and battle on blair mountain [the museum will use an implementation grant to launch the third phase of courage in the hollers: interpreting coal miners? March and battle on blair mountain (working title), a two-year public humanities project. The initiative explores three key themes: the scope of democratic rights, "uneasy solidarity: challenging racial, ethnic, and gender divides," and "public memory: who gets to tell the story." the project will bring the 1921 battle of blair mountain?the largest armed labor uprising in U.S. History?to life with free interpretive materials and permanent public installations. Focusing on miners? Defense of union recognition and civil liberties, IT will examine their collective efforts to overcome racial, ethnic, and gender divisions. Spanning 50 miles across four counties, IT features physical and digital installations, including historical signage, audio posts, an interactive website, and clio APP entries, ensuring blair mountain's legacy remains publicly accessible.]