In 1920, coal miners in southern West Virginia tried to unionize, but many were fired and evicted from company-owned homes. Tensions grew between miners and private detectives hired by coal companies.

On May 19, 1920, fighting broke out in Matewan between miners, local officials, and Baldwin-Felts detectives during an eviction attempt. A shootout left 10 people dead, including miners, detectives, and the mayor.

The event, sometimes known as the Matewan Massacre, was part of the West Virginia Mine Wars and helped spark the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain.