Dr. Chuck Keeney is usually found in a classroom, where he has taught US and World history at the University of Charleston for the past eight years. More recently, he found himself in front of the cameras, sharing his expertise on a new PBS documentary that brings a little-known chapter of West Virginia’s history to life.
A veteran of eight previous documentaries, including two Emmy-nominated films, Keeney’s most recent film project, "Always Free: Mountaineers in the Revolution," is a limited special series detailing the story of West Virginia’s involvement in the American Revolution.
Dr. Keeney was one of the historians who brought the fascinating history of what was then western Virginia’s role in the American Revolution to the film. He is featured in the film alongside professors from West Virginia University, Marshall University, and West Virginia State University.
The first two episodes of the four-part documentary have already aired on PBS and are also available on YouTube. It showcases the area’s early history: long before West Virginia became the 35th state, its unique, rugged terrain and those who attempted to settle it played a vital role in the American Revolution, contributing to early frontier defense.
Keeney
As an adjunct at UC, Dr. Keeney brings history to life in his courses, including World Cultures, Foundations of the American Republic, and Contemporary America. He is also a full professor at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College in Logan County and an adjunct at West Virginia Wesleyan University.
“When teaching my students at the University of Charleston,“ Keeney explained, “I strive to bring history to life in a way that highlights underrepresented stories and people. This film, which covers the stories of settlers, Native Americans, and African Americans on the frontier, is a natural extension of that work.”
Beyond his work as a historian, Keeney played a leading role in establishing the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum in Matewan, preserving the Blair Mountain Battlefield and helping create the state’s first permanent home dedicated to the history of the Mine Wars.
As a founding force behind the museum, he helped collect artifacts, historical documents, and personal stories to ensure one of West Virginia’s defining labor struggles would be preserved and shared with future generations. His most recent book, “The Road to Blair Mountain,” chronicles how the battlefield was preserved and the museum was created.
Through this documentary, he reaches an even broader audience, expanding his classroom and representing UC in an important film that not only celebrates our country’s 250th anniversary but is likely to be used in West Virginia history courses for years to come.
