Appalachia is a place rich in traditions, music, folk arts and crafts, religious beliefs, and pride but some parts of it are very poor in many other ways. These photos may well have been taken in many places in Kentucky, West Virginia or other parts of the coal mining regions of Appalachia today, as the last recent color photo shows. Or in many parts of this country or the world for that matter. Yes, I editorialize a bit after the video ends so stick around.
This is just a plain, stark video, no fancy transitions, just like the story it's telling.
About the photos: In the summer of 1964, William Gedney traveled to the Blue Diamond Mining Camp in Leatherwood, Kentucky and stayed for awhile at the home of Boyd Couch, head of the local United Mine Workers Union. Then Gedney met Willie Cornett, who was recently laid off from the mines, his wife Vivian, and their twelve children. He soon moved in with the Cornett family, staying with them for eleven days. These photos were taken during that visit to Kentucky.
Dock Boggs is a folk singer from Appalachia who was first discovered in the 1920s and then rediscovered in 1963 by Mike Seeger. This traditional Appalachian folk song, Calvary, was recorded during his second period. It can be found on the CD "Dock Boggs: His Folkways Years (1963-1968)."
The music for this video is now available for download on my Multiply video storage site. Please see my Profile page for the link.
Tags: kentucky leatherwood appalachia william gedney photography dock boggs 1960s poverty coal mining region
