Our failures stick with us, eat at us and keep us awake at night. I would know — I’ve had my fair share of failures, some of the most memorable being: barely passing macroeconomics, getting some abysmal LSAT scores, and getting T-boned by a car on my way to my first day of work at Panera Bread (for the record, I am a great driver, and it was not my fault). 

One of my favorite high school history teachers once told my class that history is written by the victors. So too are failures sometimes only remembered by those in control of the narrative — more often than not, those losses are buried and forgotten about. This Labor Day week, the Battle of Blair Mountain is one such loss you shouldn’t forget about.

This past Saturday, Sept. 2, marked the 102nd anniversary of that battle, which was the largest labor uprising in United States history. And yet, you’ve probably never heard of it. I’m sure you’re scratching your head wondering if I might’ve watched “The Blair Witch Project” (1999) while listening to a history podcast and got my wires all crossed. But Blair Mountain was real, and on this Labor Day week, there’s an ever-growing number of reasons to remember the battle. 

Not only has the battlefield where the uprising was fought gone through periods where its protected status on the National Register of Historic Places was in jeopardy, but in this era of newfound labor momentum, the road to remembering how far we’ve come and how far we’ve yet to progress goes through Blair Mountain.

One of the biggest sources of stress for Democratic politicos and progressive Southerners alike is the current skepticism from the region of the federal government and possible government overreach — a characteristic evident in many states that lean Republican. It might come as some comfort to these groups that the uphill political battle they have to face in wooing cautious voters in these areas finds its origin in the sheer level of federal government interference during the skirmish.

During the battle, the miners were making steady progress on their march to Mingo County, where they hoped to free imprisoned coal miners. It was only on Sept. 2, 1921, when then-President Warren Harding deployed federal troops, that the marching miners — many of whom were veterans — threw in their hats.

To understand the lack of success of labor movements in the South, from the prevalence of right-to-work laws and strikes that have ended in something sadder than a whimper, you still have to return to Blair Mountain. 

Before federal troops came marching on Blair Mountain, state police, national guardsmen and deputized townspeople fought striking miners — with the former two acting almost like modern company bigwigs. These characters, who could’ve chosen neutrality at the worst, or joined the miners in the best case scenario, chose instead to stand in the way of progress. Companies can break a laborer’s ability to physically fight, but those with power can make sure a laborer’s spirit stays suppressed and slow to rise again. 

Despite all that doom and gloom, I also want us to remember Blair Mountain when we ask ourselves what a better future looks like. When we strive for solidarity, we become a force to be reckoned with.

The tactic to divide and conquer is frequently used by strikebreakers and companies, and in the past, companies would usually try to use race to pit strikers against strikers. But the Black and white miners at Blair Mountain didn’t fall for the tactic at all. 

Of course, they weren’t solving racism during their common struggle, but they understood that internal conflicts and a lack of solidarity would destroy their goals. Today, this should serve as a reminder of the power of multiracial labor coalitions, as well as a reminder of just how scary complete solidarity is to greedy companies and corporations.

We lose valuable parts of our identity when we fail to remember things. No generation or group of people will be damaged by our memory failures more than the generation after us. If we remember and learn from the lessons of instances like Blair Mountain, there’s a brighter and more equitable future in store for us. One day, we’ll have to answer our kids when they ask us which side we were on when labor struggles came and went.

Quynh Anh Nguyen is a senior writing about the implications of current Southern political events. Her column, “I Reckon,” runs every other Tuesday.