God Bless you Donnie, and thank you for keeping our lights on. This was a very dangerous occupation and still is. Better today or safer than it used to be. These men deserve our respect. Thank You for educating us. God Bless all our Coal Miners.

Another great story Donnie, thanks for remembering this important chapter of history that built America.

I was up in Indiana watching the eclipse last week in my RV that has "The Appalachian Storyteller" logos on it. A total stranger came up to me and said, "Do you know Donnie Laws?" I said, yup! Look at that brother, your famous up there in Indiana!

I do a lot of hard ass manual work in these mountains. Logging and fence building, etc. I'm glad I never had to work in the mines. I respect those guys.

Donnie, you are great in presenting these history videos. You bring it home. I'm 79 years old from Wheeling, WV. The jobs were steel, coal, railroads, chemicals and oil. The steel mills were king, but there were coal mines all around us. Death was not unusual in these jobs. In the 40's and 50's the air was filthy. Fresh snow on the ground immediately turned grey. My Dad died of lung cancer, caused by all this bad air. He never smoked. Black lung was a big cause of death. Today the Wheeling area beautiful but all the mills and mines are gone and jobs are scarce. Making the air better is the right path, but brings consequences to the people. Most of the things built in the Wheeling area are now built overseas. Thanks for all your great videos about our past and present. You bring it home.

Thanks for the memories my dad worked 38 years in the coal mine started when he was 14 years old and I remember him saying he had worked in 18 inch rock fell in on him and he retired

For those of us that never lived near coal mines I thank you for sharing this part of history. Such hard working people, no light, dirty, dangerous yet they knew it put food on the table. It’s so heartbreaking and was so dangerous and gives a whole new appreciation for what they did. Thank you Donnie❤

Thank you, Donnie, for sharing this video. It keeps the memories of the past coal miners alive and helps us to remember the hard life they endured. It touched my heart to see those precious young boys. I can't imagine working without sunlight and facing the dangers they faced daily. God bless. 🙏

Oh Donnie! What a tribute to the coal miners! I don’t think you’d find too many young men & boys that could even walk into a mine, let alone work there. Thank you Donnie for this tribute. God bless the miners of yesterday & today!! Blessings always my dear friend! ❤️😊✝️

I was raised in a coal mining town, still live right outside it and the history of what these miners and their Families went through is both amazing and heartbreaking. Thanks for sharing!

If the kids today had the Work ethics of the older generation wouldn't take the United States long To get back to where it was being on top of the world Thanks for the video Donnie God bless.

Great video Donnie. My father worked in a coal mine in the 1930's. He waas very young at the time, and that was about the only job he could get at the time. A huge rock came down and he lost a finger. He got no compensation for it. He was lucky that it wasn't worse. He quit mining. Prayers for your continuing get better. 🙏

Good morning Donnie pray you’re doing better and able to get out more. It’s so sad the conditions these men and young boys had to work in. My father worked in the plants here in Louisiana and asbestos was running rapid in them. He passed with lung cancer in 2000, thank God he did not suffer. Not one day before God took him home. Thanks Donny for sharing this. You have a wonderful weekend. Be blessed. Be safe.❤🙏

I am a coal miners daughter! I am beyond proud of my precious daddy and the left he gave us. Thank you for this video!

From an "old miner" in the UK, thank you Donnie. Different days, different times.

My papaw worked in the coal mines up in Everets Ky he also had black lung. I saw a movie awhile back on the Bloody Harlan that was a sad and bad time for all of them. Hope your still healing good there Donnie still praying for ya buddy 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Good morning friend, Thanks for the story of the coal miners.I have a new found respect for them all. Blessings to you and family!🙏

Good morning sir 🌞 have a wonderful day. God bless. Thanks for the video.

Thank you. The title drew me in-a nod to Loretta Lynn-and the content will keep me, as always.

Coal is a wonderful product. We owe the industrial revolution to coal.

My wife’s grandfather was badly injured down in a mine in PA and subsequently moved his family to Ohio which was fortunate for me lol Pappy received Black Lung payments from the government and lived to the age of 84 He recovered from his mining injury and worked 30 more years in a machine shop BtW our town in Ohio is right at the end of Appalachia bc the foothills stop at the Cuyahoga Tuscarawas and Ohio rivers

My dad began working in the mines with his dad and older brother when he was 15 years old in 1940 in West Virginia. I still have some of his old paystubs, miners helmet. God bless them all. What hardworking men.

Everyday was a 50/50 chance of not coming home. God bless them & you for this one my awesome mountain brother 🙏

Thanx Mr. Laws, hope You continue to heal good. My Father was a Coal Miner for 23 Years in the West Virginia Coal Seams. He liked the Sewel Seam (High Coal). Some of the stories He talked about would give a Person Cold Sweats. God Bless all of the Coal Miners. Keep Your Faith Brother. 😃

Thank you Donnie! I grew up in West Virginia... My husband was a miner. My grandfather, who came to this country from Romania, had to go to work in mines at twelve years old, to support his 11 brothers and sisters...THANK YOU for paying respect to these men of that industry!! ❤️🙏

My Dad started working in WHT ge called scab mines at age 14 .He said you could hardly get the pick up over your head it was so close. We lost him to black lung at the age of 64. Black Lung was a slow death,he could only walk a few feet before he couldn't get his breath. He was not alone many miners succumb to their death the same way. Thank you for the videos. They bring back many good and bad memories. Keep up the good work

My Granddad was a coal miner in Mt Carmel PA at the Atlas Mine. The mine was down the street from their house on Cherry Street. He passed from Black Lung in the early 1960's. Thank you for showing this video. It bring memories to bear of my kin-folk.

Fascinating video. I can’t imagine maintaining my sanity working underground. I’m grateful for all miners, who sacrificed their lives, health, prosperity, and sanity to give US the fruits of their labors. And shame on the politicians who have, in many ways, ruined the coal industries and the economies and the supply of energy to the country. God bless Donnie. I hope you’re getting better!

This is a great lesson to those of us who didn't come from mining areas, Donnie. My daughter married a man from West Virginia, and I managed to get a scrip from the mine closest to where they live. It's a treasured possession. God bless you, my friend.🙏❤️

Good morning Mr Donnie so happy to see your video. Have a blessed weekend.❤😊

Good morning Donnie, just perfect to watch a video from you on this blustery rainy morning here in Connecticut. I am thinking how when my grandparents were young, in the 1800s early 1900s, how Coal was mined by hand. That was a job for the brave and still is. When I was young, the older houses still used Coal to heat their homes. Those poor brave miners, paid in script, lived in company housing, having to shop at the company store. All that made the very wealthy owners more wealth of which the miners and families never saw. Much respect for all those people who worked in mining. I love your videos and history.

Thank you Sir. 🐿

Lord I miss working in the mines,we were family, Brother's. I was in low coal and high coal. Worked in Man West Virginia Rockhouse #2 and Pike county Kentucky Massey.. my grandpa lost his feelings from the wast down when his mine fell in on him. That was in Phelps Kentucky Pike Co. My uncle Jr. Mitchell got me my 1st coal mine job,Lord I love that man as well as my grandpa. Time has changed and how I miss them time's sitting around on the porch talking with all the family and friends. God Bless our Country and the miner's.

After the first hour of our shift working in the coal mines , we were all the same color , and we were always Brothers . Great video Donnie .

I agree Donnie , that with the technologies today coal could be a viable energy source .....the sounds of those timbers cracking was really something ..my my...God Bless the Coal miners and their families. Thank you for the Video Brother.

Gratitude ❤ from New Hampshire

I weren't raised in Appalachia. We're from the swamps of North Florida. I grew up working. Either you helped on the hog farm, or went and helped pour concrete,or both. We had to work. My kids aren't fortunate enough to have that kind of work ethic put on them. Thanks for sharing this Mr Donnie.

Oh my gracious. This is sad. But shows how determined the men were to support their families.

Thanks Donnie 🙏🏻 As a proud West Virginia coal miner’s daughter, the ministry industry has supported myself and most everyone I know, even my own kids. I get so mad when people are disrespectful about coal mining and especially the people who do the jobs. Most couldn’t handle 10 minutes of these jobs. They seem to forget that coal is the reason they’ve had electricity for several years.

What a beautiful but sad story. Thank you for keeping the old ways alive. Blessings to you and prayers for continued healing💚

I spent several years underground back in the 1970's and remember how it was mined. Thanks for the memories brother Donnie. God bless you and thank you for all the wonderful content you post.

My dad & uncles started in the mines at 13, grandpa retired from the mines, died of black lung 15 years later, Stearns Kentucky, God Bless our miners ❤

It takes a special breed to work in those mines. Thanks for sharing Donnie and I hope you have a great weekend!

Thank you Mr. Donnie for sharing this story hard working men for sure back in those days

Thank you, Donnie. God bless.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Thank you Donnie for sharing these stories my dad, grandfather and great grandfather's and uncles were coal miners

🙏🙏🙏

this was a hard video to watch because it hit close to home. you see, back in 1984, my 22 year old nephew was killed in a mining accident, a rock fall. he had been recently hired to work outside on the heavy equipment as a mechanic, but that day he was asked to go inside to work, and he did because he wanted to work. he never came back home that day. But because of God's mercy, he gave his heart to God when someone shared the gospel message with him. and one day we will see my nephew Terry again. God bless you Brother

I thank you for your service Donnie. God bless and keep you...

Fifty Years Ago, I Operated A Crusher & Conveyor System, Brings Back Memories, Very Interesting Video, Thank You . GOD BLESS YOU

Beyond sad when Miners pass from cave ins. In the 60's I remember some mines collasping. So many didn't make it out. May they all Rest in Peace. 🌹

Those modern machines put many a mule out of a job. I'm sure it was much better for the miner. Nothing stays the same. Thanks for sharing, Donnie, Your friend, Louise

I was so little i don't really remember my grandpa that, but he worked in the mines in West Virginia, and he died with black lung. I was told he was a good man God rest his soul!😢

Thanks Donnie to you and your dad/ family and all the old coal miners that worked in those dangerous conditions to keep the electricity on in our homes💡🏠God Bless Y'all ❤

Yes sir nothing but the utmost respect for the blue collar workers that made this land 💪

You are so right Donnie! All those coal miners back then were real heroes and tough. Little boys became men fast if they were not hurt or killed in the mines.

Thank you Mr Donnie. Another excellent video. These images are powerful! The hard and tragic price paid with lives and livelihood should never be forgotten. A cost no one should have to pay.

In 2021, top of mountain fell in at the rock quarry in crab orchard. You are right about any underground work is dangerous. I watch all your videos and enjoy them all. Thanks Donnie for sharing

God rest their precious souls!❤🙏🥹💐

I love your stories. So many men and children died that was horrible. You are keeping it real that is why I love your videos

Morning Donnie, thanks for sharing this great story of coal mining.

Very nice tribute, miners really got screwed over by the companies and government, it's always been about the mighty dollar before people. Much respect to all who did this work, including you

That was really sad times for the men who had no choice but to work the mines. Seems they had them lock, stock and barrel. Thank God for the union's back then. Thanks Donnie for a really interesting history lesson.

I am a coal miners Granddaughter. I never knew him though. Mother told me he made it to being a foreman of the mines there in St Clair county Alabama. I think most of my mothers side of the family were all in the business in some way, one of her brothers went to work for Alabama Power company in relationship to the coal mining end of it.. Just sad he died before I was born. Thank you for another good video story of our important history.

My Grampaw Frank Sumner mined around Harvey WV in the early 20s. He was part of the wars between the coal companies & the union organizers. One time, company thugs shot into his house & almost killed my pregnant Grammaw. He died of the black lung in 1964. My Daddy worked the mines, too, but got out much earlier. I have vivid memories of him coming home all blackened, & the lunch pail he used.

Thank you for giving a tribute to miners. It really was hard, unsafe work those men did. I have an uncle that worked the coal mines. He was a victim of black lung. He was given 6 months to live and he out lived that by 3 years. People now days just dont understand the hard work these people went through.

My father in law was a coal miner in WV . What a hard life 😢 He suffered terribly with black lung .

“ There’s miner’s little sons…down the coal town road…playing with their cowboy guns where the coal trains load. And they’d better make the best of their childhood while it runs…. there’s a pick and shovel waiting down the coal town road”. Song …The Coal Town Road. Thanks for the video, Donnie. My family came from a coal mining area. My dad had to go to wrk at 12 after his dad lost the use of his hand in the lumber woods. My grandfather would NOT allow him to go underground. Wanted to spare him that much anyway. That was a very long time ago. Mining was a hard life.

Wow... great story Donnie. Those poor miners had a rough dangerous job. God Bless all of them.

God bless the men who worked those old mines, they had to be very brave to survive those conditions.

I can't imagine what it was like for all of you working in those mines. Thank you for sharing what it was like. As always another good and educational video. God bless you my friend. Jimmy

God Bless our coal miners, both past and present 🙏❤

Good evening 😊 Incredibly hard work indeed hard on the men and hard on the wives.

I have great respect for all the men that worked so hard in coal mines to take care of their families. ❤ Dangerous job indeed.

Hi Donnie well my husband passed away last week so I could not watch. I miss your videos so glad you are better 💕 we had a mine on my Great grandfather's farm in Kentucky

That letter to Ellen was heartbreaking. Bless them.

My pawpaw was a coal miner from Logan, WV. My dad can still remember paying with script when he was a little boy. Such a different way of life then. Thank you for the video!

I worked in a tire plant in Indiana back in the early 60s. I knew quite a few men from the Pineville Middlesboro area who left the mining jobs in that area to work in our plant. They often told stories of dangers of coal mining. Good hard working people. Thanks Donnie for these stories.

Growing up ,I heard many a story from Dad and Grandpa of the life they lived down in the mine in West Virginia from the Depression era and before. There just was not many jobs to earn your daily bread back then. Mama's Dad did it for many years too until he put a pickax thru his foot. My Dad lost 3 fingers on his left hand down in the mines when he was only 22. He left after that and became a long distance trucker here in Texas. Thanks for your video and stories Mr. Donnie.

Donnie, Thank you for this really informative story about coal mining back in the day. There are things we never were taught in school in my younger days. I knew the work was hard, tough and dangerous, but not to the degree you helped us all understand. People have no reason to complain about working conditions these days. Again, Thank You Donnie

Hi Donnie we are so glad you are doing better Thank you for sharing another great video God Bless you and your family 🙏👍🇺🇸

Donnie I remember my dad, grand Dad and great grandpa talking about working in the mines around Russellville, Spadra, and Coal Hill Arkansas My Great grand helped organize the mines around Clarksville Arkansas in the late 1800's they had to fright with guns and clubs men on both sides died. The miners won at last..

Much respect & solute to those miners'.

My great grandfather died in a coal mine here in West Virginia. Mine roof collapsed on him, my grandmother was just a little girl at the the time.

THANKS DONNIE , MY GRANDFATHER WAS A MINER IN WEST VIRGINIA. 💪❤

Thank you for the mining videos. Many like myself don't realize the danger or the back breaking work the miners suffered.

So much appreciation and respect for you and all our coal miners from long ago thru today. Some of my family worked the coal mines in far north central MO after they left your area. Lost a couple to accidents, and others to black lung. It means a lot to me to see the actual history and what their jobs were like. They were tough as nails and steadfast.

Ty so much for remembering and revering our elders❤

Hey Donnie, I don't know how you did it and are still here to talk about it💗🙏. The old days was torture on the men and their families waiting at home 😢. Your right about that . They had no choice🥴. Thank you it needed to be said. JO JO IN VT 💞

Thank you, Donnie for a very well done and sobering reminder of what coal mining is like and how it benefits those who don't understand how this country was built and still runs today. I thank you and all coal miners for giving me so many good things in the life that I live today. I appreciate that you were honest in showing the work involved and just how dangerous the job is. My heart froze when I saw the aftermath pictures of those rockslides and explosions. What brave men and boys these are! I will always remember them in my prayers.🙏❤❤❤ Y'all take care now! May God bless you and yours. 😊

Thank you so much. My great grandfather and grandfather were coal miners in WV.

My grandpa was a miner in Ky. He and my father were in a cave in in 1950 Dad got his nose broken. My grandpas back was broken and spent the remainder of his days in a wheelchair

My husband's grandfather became mine inspector because he was angry at the lack of protection for miners. Everyone in the area knew he was a voice for their family members in the mines.

I have a copy of the national geographic from 1943 that highlights every thing that coal was in the manufacturing of thousands of products. Including many chemicals and medication among other things that I can remember from the article. Especially since it was written in the middle of WW II and it shows some of the advantages we had over the Axis powers during the war. Thanks for the videos highlighting our culture and religion.

People today just would not understand the work ethic that these folks went thru every day Bro. Donnie. Life back then to us was hard and unbearable but they did it anyway. It was like sink or swim. Your choice. The company stores had them like a noose around their neck. You go here or starve. Great history lesson. If modern day folks had to go back to hard work like this there would be anarchy.

Always the best thing on my tv!!!!

My grandfather was a coalminer. Died from black lung at 56.

Thank you Donnie. That was educational as well as sad. I really felt for all those old timers to the present who sacrificed their lives in the mines to make a livin for their families. The ones who got coal dust in their lungs really had a rough time of it too. ❤🙏💐

Day off coffee and Donny law what a start to a Friday 👍🏻 and how heartbreaking reading that guy's letter knowing hes about to meet his maker

Hello Donnie, my brother. I take my hat off to the ol miners. They sure had it rough. And I my hat off to you too Sir. Your right they do have the technology to make the coal burn cleaner, they just dont want to put it to use. There is a song called Muddy Coal Mine by Rocky Alvey, if you want to give it a listen. I appreciate everything you and the rest of the miners have done my friend. May God bless you and your family immensely 🙏🤝🤗❤️