NPS Featured Project: Virtual Presentation on Labor History in America: Jefferson County Courthouse (WV)

Please join us for a free virtual presentation:
Labor History in America: Jefferson County Courthouse (WV) 
National Historic Landmark Study
March 17, 2021 7:00 pm

Want to learn more about one of the most dramatic periods of labor unrest in American history and the sensational legal trials that followed? If so, join the National Park Service for a virtual presentation on the Jefferson County Courthouse in Charles Town, West Virginia! The National Park Service, in partnership with the Organization of American Historians, has completed a National Historic Landmark study for the courthouse and we are pleased to present the study's findings!

Photo:  View of Jefferson County Courthouse looking northeast, 2019. NPS Photo/Susan Cianci Salvatore

What: The presentation will focus on the Jefferson County Courthouse in Charles Town, West Virginia and how the lengthy legal battle that occurred there in 1922 was a pivotal point in a long struggle by mine workers to unionize the West Virginia coal fields. The incredibly well-preserved courthouse stands as a testament to a period when laborers fought to uphold their rights despite intense opposition from coal company operators and state and local officials. The West Virginia mine wars are a fascinating and little-known chapter in American history that resonates to this day. The presentation will be followed by a short question and answer period.

Who: Historian Dr. Rachel Donaldson of the College of Charleston, South Carolina will present the history and significance of the Courthouse and the national importance of the West Virginia mine wars. Dr. Donaldson is the author of several books on American folk culture and the history of the labor movement. Kathryn Smith, National Park Service historian and National Historic Landmarks Program (NHL) Coordinator for the National Capital Area, will introduce the NHL study and the NHL program. 

When: March 17, 2021, 7:00 pm - 8:00pm

How to join: Please email us at ncr_nhl@nps.gov if you are interested in attending. Attendees will receive a link to join the presentation.  There will be a phone-in-only option as well.

Accessibility Note: If you need an accessibility accommodation to participate, please let us know at ncr_nhl@nps.gov.