Buffalo Creek Memorial

Kevin Ledo, Canadian, born 1978

Buffalo Creek Memorial, 2014

Kevin Ledo’s mural acts as a memorial to honor the lives and properties lost in the 1972 Buffalo Creek disaster. The flood, as depicted in the left side of the mural, destroyed many houses and properties and was a result of slurry formed by the waste and chemicals of the coal mining industry. The dark colors portray the filth of the contaminated water that flowed through the community, countering the idea presented by the coal industry that coal is a clean energy source. Ledo also depicted most of the sky as being dark, hinting at the air pollution generated by both mountaintop removal practices and the burning of coal. The woman in the foreground holding onto a child portrays how the coal industry, and ongoing disasters created by them, are negatively impacting generations of people in the Appalachian communities. Finally, the white dove in the top left corner is a symbol of peace, which I interpret as the painter’s call for justice towards the people who are suffering at the hands of the coal industry. Label by Lindsey Smith

As It Was Give(n) to Me

Stacy Kranitz, American

As It Was Give(n) to Me

This photograph was captured by Stacy Kranitz and displays a mountaintop removal mining site in West Virginia.  The green patch seen at the top of the blank mountain is a cemetery that families are given regular access to despite its rather remote location.  This work is part of a collection created by Kranitz titled “As It Was Give(n) to Me” which includes photos of the communities and environment of Appalachia affected by coal extraction which in turn directly causes water contamination, polluted air, and ultimately sickness of its people.  This photo is encapsulating in its exposure of the truth of coal mining in Appalachia.  It is powerful in its blunt statement and proof of the destruction of the beautiful scenery of the Appalachian mountains. Label by Callie Sties

Loyalties

Unknown

Loyalties, 2017

In Fighting King Coal, a photo included in the Photovoice exhibit from Community B portrayed two opposing bumper stickers on the backs of cars. One read, “I love Coal,” and the other read, “I love Mountains.” The title of this photo and it’s caption is, “Loyalties.” I found this to be a valuable photo in the way that it represents the social divide over coal mining. The word loyalty when applied to the sticker that says “I love Coal” depicts the vital role that coal played in building the foundations of the economy in this region. With that, many people embrace and celebrate coal mining as a part of their culture. This raises challenges when trying to form activists groups and spread awareness because not only are these ideas deeply ingrained making it hard for some people to see the truth of the situation, but it also deters the people who may want to become more active but feel as though they will be going against their community in doing so. Label by Jordan Stofko

Black Appalachia

Sarah Hoskins, American

Black Appalachia, 2017

The photographer Sarah Hoskins set out to show that the coal industry is diverse and not just exclusive to white workers. The photograph above is one artwork from her collection displaying the racial diversity of a coal community in Lynch, Kentucky. The scene takes place in a church as the deacon and others pray for Reverend Hampton. Many of the community members have a history in coal mining that has led to a shared sense of pride and strengthened bonds to support each other. Despite the decline of the coal industry in Lynch, these people continue to support each other in times of need and work towards a brighter future. Label by Jonathan Yoder

This is a photo by Sarah Hoskins from Katelyn Fossett’s article “Black Appalachia” showing members of the Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Lynch Kentucky praying for Reverend Hampton before his knee surgery. Through her photographs Hoskins documents Black communities in Appalachia that are left out of the common narrative, as Appalachia is usually characterized as “rural, mostly poor and mostly white” yet “coal miners have never been a racially homogenous group.” Fossett examines how the history of coal mining in the region created a large boom and bust leaving many towns empty as emigration rates rose. Lynch is one such town, with its population at a mere 800 people after the collapse of the coal economy. There is a juxtaposition between the pride people feel about their work in the mines, with the environmental issues that mountaintop removal mining has caused. Label by Savannah Singleton