Matewan

Matewan m e t w n is a 1987 American drama film written and directed by John Sayles, and starring Chris Cooper in his film debut, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell and Will Oldham, with David Strathairn, Kevin Tighe and Gordon Clapp in supporting roles.

It was 1920 in the southwest West Virginia coal fields, and, as the narrator recalls, things were tough. In response to efforts by miners to organize into a labor union, the Stone Mountain Coal Company announces it will cut the pay miners receive, and will be importing replacement workers into town to replace those who join the union. The new workers are African Americans from Alabama and are coming in on the train, but the train is stopped outside town and the black men are told to get off. Derided as scabs, they are then attacked by the local miners, but manage to get back on the train and continue their journey.Witnessing the attack is Joe Kenehan Chris Cooper, a passenger on the train and an organizer for the United Mine Workers. He arrives in Matewan and takes up residence at a boarding house run by a coal miners widow, Elma Radnor Mary McDonnell, and her 15yearold son, Danny Will Oldham, who is also a miner and a budding Baptist preacher. ........

Source: Wikipedia