Mining the Catalog - Exploring records from the Exhibit Power & Light
Miners checking in at the lamp house at completion of morning shift. Koppers Coal Division, Kopperston Mines, Kopperston, Wyoming County, West Virginia. National Archives Identifier 540922
Miners coming home from morning shift. Mullens Smokeless Coal Company, Mullens Mine, Harmco, Wyoming County, West Virginia. National Archives Identifier 541333
Russell Lee began his work for the federal government during the Great Depression when he was one of the photographers hired by the Farm Security Administration to document rural poverty. He later photographed the forced relocation of Japanese Americans to detention camps.
Credit department of the company. Miners are pictured drawing money in advance of payday. Inland Steel Company, Wheelwright #1 & 2 Mines, Wheelwright, Floyd County, Kentucky. National Archives Identifier 541493
The photographs that are the subject of our exhibit come from Lee’s final project for the federal government. In 1946, he was sent to document the lives of coal miners and their communities by the Truman administration. The United Mine Workers’ 400,000 members had gone on strike demanding safer working conditions, improved health benefits, and better pay. As part of the agreement that ended the strike, the federal government agreed to survey the miners’ living conditions.
Houses and privies on the hillside. Southern Coal Corporation, Bradshaw Mine, Bradshaw, McDowell County, West Virginia. National Archives Identifier 541037
Mrs. Elige Hicks and her daughter in the kitchen of the four room house which rents for $10.50 monthly. Mrs. Hicks' husband and son are now working in a coal mine in Virginia and are looking for a home to buy. Southern Coal Corporation, Bradshaw Mine, Bradshaw, McDowell County, West Virginia. National Archives Identifier 541034
We also see miners and their families going about their everyday tasks, having fun in recreation halls, and playing outside.
Children of miner living in company housing project. Note the homemade baby buggy made of a powder box. Union Pacific Coal Company, Reliance Mine, Reliance, Sweetwater County, Wyoming. National Archives Identifier 540560; Daughter of Carlos Wilson, miner, pours herself a drink of water. Consolidated Coal Company, Bankhead Mine, Bankhead, Walker County, Alabama. National Archives Identifier 540629
Lee provided the photographs for the study which included 90 communities in 22 states. The program led to improvements in the mining communities, including the building of 13 new hospitals.
George Fain, son of Harry Fain, coal loader, bowling. There are 4 alleys in recreation center. Inland Steel Company, Wheelwright #1 & 2 Mines, Wheelwright, Floyd County, Kentucky. National Archives Identifier 541501
Over the course of the survey, Lee took over 4000 photographs, more than 200 of which are included in the exhibit. Over 1000 of the photographs are available in the Catalog. Lee focused on three major themes for the project: home, mines, and community, capturing a moment of mid-century American life. His photographs show not just miners but their families, their homes, and their churches.
Miners in soda fountain. Inland Steel Company, Wheelwright #1 & 2 Mines, Wheelwright, Floyd County, Kentucky., National Archives Identifier 541505; Baptist Church Choir, won district singing competition in 1945. Inland Steel Company, Wheelwright #1 & 2 Mines, Wheelwright, Floyd County, Kentucky, National Archives Identifier 541510
In some cases, especially for records that are part of Citizen Archivist missions, you may have to look to find a page that has not been transcribed. You should now look at the thumbnails to see what pages you can transcribe.
Click on Show Details to see which pages have transcriptions:
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