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1. Oral history of Sterling Ball

["Sterling Ball (b. January 9, 1947, Parkersburg, WV) is a retired UFCW Local 347 president, labor organizer, songwriter and poet, a former Kroger worker, and veteran. In this interview he discusses the history of Local 347 (which has since merged with Local 400), his songs and poems, his experience in collective bargaining, labor actions, and strikes across West Virginia and Ohio, the future of the labor movement, and more. Ball is a lifelong resident of Parkersburg, WV.This interview is part of a collection of interviews with UFCW member Kroger workers conducted remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic."]%

2. Transcript of oral history of Sterling Ball


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3. Oral history of Jay O'Neal

["Jay ONeal (b. Amarillo, TX) is a Charleston resident, history teacher at Stonewall Jackson Middle School, and one of the central organizers of the West Virginia Teacher Strike. He speaks about his role in the strike and the context of it within a broader labor movement."]%

4. Transcript of oral history of Jay O'Neal


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5. Oral history of Elaine Purkey, 1 of 2


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6. Oral history of Elaine Purkey, 2 of 2

["Elaine (Moore) Purkey is an activist songwriter and musician from Harts Creek, West Virginia in Lincoln County. She was born on May 29, 1949, on the same piece of property where she still lives. She was raised in a family of musicians and flatfoot dancers and attributes her powerful voice to the acapella singing she learned as a member of the Church of Christ. As a teenager she played in bands with her brother, and in early adulthood she was the lead singer of a local country band. In the 1980s, she began performing regularly on the Wallace Horn Friendly Neighbors Show, a live radio program out of Logan County that has been on the air since 1967. She now hosts the show. Purkey wrote songs for the Pittston Coal Strike and Ravenswood Lockout and has performed at concerts and festivals across the continent. Her song \"One Day More\" written for the Ravenswood Lockout, is featured on the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings compilation Classic Labor Songs. Purkey is portrayed in the 2014 film Moving Mountains, based on a book by Penny Loeb. A proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Purkey teaches singing classes to children at the Big Ugly Community Center."]%

7. Oral history of transcript of Elaine Purkey


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8. Three songs by Elaine Purkey


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9. Recording of UMWA President Cecil Roberts' speech at the West Virginia Teachers' Strike rally at the state capitol

["On February 22, 2018, thousands of West Virginia public school teachers and school service employees walked out of their classrooms in what would become a nine-day statewide strike. Teachers demands included a 5% raise and affordable healthcare coverage through the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency or PEIA. These photos are part of a series of photos, videos, and interviews documenting the labor lore and expressive culture of the 2018 and 2019 West Virginia Teachers Strike.For more information on the 2018 and 2019 West Virginia Teachers Strike visit e-WV: https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/2454"]%

10. West Virginia teachers holding a sign reading "Fix and Fund PEIA with 2.5% Natural Gas and Severance Tax"