Feuds are a nasty business. Imagine it. Think about what it would be like to actively hate an entire family – and to have them hate you back. Imagine the constant threat of being attacked, being killed; imagine being the one to kill another person because their relative insulted your relative. They are self-perpetuating; a minor insult that turns violent results in more violence which calls for vengeance which, of course, only leads to more bloodshed. I watched a National Geographic segment once about families in Northern Africa locked in feud; their homes were basically fortified compounds, and they could not leave without fear of being shot and killed. This is no way to live.
The feud of the Hatfields and the McCoys is currently of great interest here in Kentucky, but historian Jerry Deaton has another story to tell. While looking through his family history, he found that his ancestors had been involved in a feud in Breathitt County, Kentucky – an incredibly deadly one that lasted from 1870 to 1912. Fascinated, he did his research and turned out a documentary, entitled The Feuds of Bloody Breathitt: Kentucky's Untold Story
.
The Feuds of Bloody Breathitt
will be screened tomorrow, Thursday, at the Filson Historical Society at noon. The film lasts fifty minutes, and Deaton will be present for a Q&A session following the screening.
The Filson Historical Society is located at 1310 S. Third Street. There is no charge to attend the documentary screening, but reservations are suggested and can be made through the Filson Historical Society website or by calling 502-635-5083.
Image: press release
