Additional funding is provided by Georgia-Pacific, KeyBank Foundation and Merck; and by the General Mills Foundation; the Omicron Member Boulé of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Minneapolis; and Frances Wilkinson. For those who survived those hazards, long-term exposure to poor air caused chronic lung diseases such as black lung. In 1910, over 40,500 performed work associated with coal mines, of which approximately 29,000 were miners. ... Major funding for Slavery by Another Name is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, W.K. To encourage coal production, the Confederate government enacted legislation in 1861 exempting from field service any operator who contracted to mine coal with at least twenty slaves. Other African American Miner Links | During the Civil War, a thousand slaves dug coal for 22 companies in the “Richmond Basin.” Black miners were expected to load four or five tons of coal. Major funding for Slavery by Another Name is provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, W.K. General Coal Mining Links | © copyright 2003 by Tim Pinnick, RootsWeb is funded and supported by Your report has been successfully submitted. Tannbach in the 1960s. Closed Captioning. Mine owners utilized labor agents in the urban areas across the country, and sent labor recruiters into the South to entice dissenfranchised blacks. Report a Problem | These men were employed in a variety of different occupations in and out of the mines, from basic laborers to blacksmiths. Poor food rations, cramped sleeping quarters, and inadequate health care led to waves of diseases. The Black Heath Company, Chesterfield Coal and Iron Mining Company, Midlothian Mining Company and others employed hundred of slaves and free blacks. Slaves worked Alabama mines as early as 1840. A 1606 Act "Anent Coalyers and Salters" had placed Scottish "coalyers, coal-bearers and salters" in a condition of permanent bondage to their employer. The work force at many mines was oftentimes supplemented by slaves hired by contract from slave owners in the vicinity. This constitutes some of the earliest documentation of black coal miners working in the northern coal fields, known as the Central Competitive Field. Brief Commentary | Historian Khalil Muhammad explains the various dangers in coal mining history. Use one of the services below to sign in to PBS: You've just tried to add this video to My List. After electricity, they had to avoid touching the live wires. Coal mining remained a steady source of employment for blacks during the first 3 decades of the twentieth century. All rights reserved. The demand for coal continued to increase throughout the decade as railroad trackage soared and the "black diamonds" became the fuel of choice for individuals heating their homes. During this time period a new form of subjagation was emerging in the Deep South in the form of convict labor. Slaves were working in coal mines around Richmond, Va. as early as 1760. Collapsing mines, suffocation, gas poisoning, explosions, and heavy machinery accidents were daily dangers. In other states, particularly Pennsylvania and Alabama, there were substantial efforts to mine and create a demand for coal, using varied levels of black labor. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

Kellogg Foundation, The Coca-Cola Company and the CPB/PBS Diversity and Innovation Fund. Thank you for helping us improve PBS Video. Main Page |

Slavery In The Coal-Mines Of Scotland By James Barrowman, Mining Engineer Presented at Annual General Meeting of the Federated Institution of Mining Engineers, 14 September 1897 It is not necessary that the records of the dim and distant past be searched in order to find a condition of things answering to the title of this paper.