Thursday, January 12, 2012

Mining History Week Events

For those of you interested in mining history week activities, below is a list of events taking place.

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Mining History Week Events to Take Place January 17 to January 24, 2012 in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Pittston, Port Griffith, and Ashley.

A regional observance of Mining History Week will take place between January 17 and January 24, 2012, at programs in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Pittston, Port Griffith, and Ashley. This year’s events will focus on the victims of the Knox Mine Disaster as well as the tens of thousands of individual mineworkers—men and boys—who toiled, and often died or were injured, in the area’s coal mines.

The events are sponsored by the Anthracite Heritage Museum, the Anthracite Heritage Foundation, King’s College, Wilkes University, the Huber Breaker Preservation Society, the Anthracite Living History Group, the Old Forge Coal Mine, the Greater Pittston Historical Society, and the Knox Mine Disaster Memorial Committee.

The public is invited to attend any or all of the events free of charge.

January 17, 12:30 – 8 p.m., Wilkes University, Exhibit Opening, Sordoni Gallery, Stark Learning Center: “Let Children be Children: Lewis Wickes Hine’s Crusade against Child Labor,” Organized by the George Eastman House. The exhibit runs from January 16 to March 11, 2012.

January 17, 7 p.m., Wilkes University, Exhibit Opening Lecture: Prof. Robert P. Wolensky, “The Anthracite Mining Industry during the Lewis Hine Years,” Room 166, Stark Learning Center. Refreshments provided.

January 19, 7 p.m., King's College, The Inaugural Msgr. John J. Curran Memorial Lecture, Prof. Robert P. Wolensky and William A. Hastie, “The Knox Mine Disaster: The Anthracite Mineworker and The Culture of Corruption,” Room 104, McGowan Business School. Refreshments provided.

January 21, 2:30 p.m., Anthracite Heritage Museum, Scranton, Annual Program on the Knox Mine Disaster; featuring George “Bucky” Mazur, the last living survivor of the disaster, other presentations, new Knox Disaster documentary film; anthracite folk music, Audrey Calvey’s memorial embroidery, and refreshments.

January 22, 10 a.m., St. John the Evangelist Church, Annual Knox Mine Disaster Memorial Mass, Williams Street, Pittston.

January 22, 11:30 a.m., Knox Memorial Monument and PHMC Marker, Annual service in front of the Baloga Funeral Home (formerly St. Joseph's Church), Main Street, Port Griffith.

January 22, 12 noon, Knox Mine Disaster Site, Walk to the disaster site along the Susquehanna River in Port Griffith (weather permitting; gather at the Baloga Funeral Home).

January 24, 7 p.m., Huber Breaker Preservation Society, Atty. F. Charles Petrillo will speak on: “Last Shift: The End of Deep-Coal Mining in the Wyoming Valley 1959-1974,” Earth Conservancy Building, Main Street, Ashley, in front of the Huber Breaker. Refreshments provided.