Henry Mayer papers

Abstract

The Henry Mayer papers (dated 1877-2001, undated; 6.65 cubic feet; 8 boxes) comprise materials that document the history of coal mine safety, of mine disasters/explosions, various biographical collections on different labor leaders, industry executives, writers, and clergy members, newsletters and reports on the coal industry and various other organizations, coal production, surface and strip mining (including the Office of Surface Mining), the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) and other labor unions, background on various Kentucky counties as well as focuses on the eastern, western, and northeastern parts of the state, strikes (including the Stearns strike from 1976-1979), and Maye's own records from his time as a visiting faculty member at the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Eastern Kentucky University, as well as his own writings.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Henry Mayer papers
Date
1877-2001, undated (inclusive)
Extent
6.65 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Coal miners
Coal mines and mining.
Coal mines and mining -- Economic aspects -- Kentucky.
Journalism -- Kentucky
Labor unions -- Kentucky.
Records
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by subject in eight series: Coal Mine Safety and Disasters/Explosions, Coal Industry and Its Impacts, Labor, Coal in Kentucky, Coal in McCreary and Pulaski Counties, Personal, Photographs, and Audiovisual.
Finding Aid Author
Jed DeBruin
Preferred Citation
2009ms123: [identification of item], Henry Mayer papers, 1877-2001, undated, University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Henry C. Mayer (1927-2007) was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky on November 17, 1927 to Florence Rapp. Mayer attended Notre Dame University, earning a B.A. in journalism and a M.A. in philosophy, before serving in the Korean War. While in the army, Mayer reached the rank of Private First Class and was stationed in Japan for eighteen months.
Returning to Kentucky, Mayer worked from 1955-1965 primarily in various roles within the Kentucky state government, as well as with various advertising agencies. From 1965-1973, he was self-employed running a writing and research assistance business, including various freelance projects. In 1973, Mayer resumed his work within the Kentucky state government and advertising, which he continued to do until 1981 before returning to his writing and research assistance and teaching as a visiting faculty member at the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and Eastern Kentucky University. During his second stint in state government and advertising, Mayer married Barbara Zehnder on October 23, 1976 in Jefferson County, Kentucky.
Mayer was involved in numerous activities and organizations within Kentucky, including service on the Governor's Task Force on Welfare Reform in 1979, several years as the chair on the Committee on Public Issues, membership on the executive council of the Association for Social Economics, several years as a delegate to the Annual Assembly of the Kentucky Council of Churches, several years as a board member of the Kentuckiana Hemophilia Foundation, multiple terms as a Legislative Agent to the Kentucky General Assembly, and many other local state, national, and topical organizations.
Mayer's writing covered a wide range of topics, including state and federal government programs with impacts on Kentucky, St. Xavier High School (Louisville, KY), unemployment, a column on opera and the Louisville Orchestra, various expressions of ministry for religious publications, coal mining, mine disasters, current events in the coal industry, labor relations, Southern Baptist controversies, histories of banking in two mountain counties and undated histories of two local Roman Catholic parishes.
Mayer passed away on December 23, 2007 and was buried in Radcliff, Kentucky in the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central.
Sources:
Ancestry.com. Kentucky, U.S., Birth Index, 1911-1999 [database on-line; accessed 2023 June 27]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2006. (Original data: Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Kentucky Birth, Marriage, and Death Databases: Births 1911-1999. Frankfort, Kentucky: Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.)
Ancestry.com. Kentucky, U.S., Marriage Index, 1973-1999 [database on-line; accessed 2023 June 27]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. (Original data: Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Kentucky Birth, Marriage, and Death Databases: Marriages 1973-1999. Frankfort, KY, USA: Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives.)
National Cemetery Administration. U.S., Veterans' Gravesites, ca.1775-2019 [database on-line; accessed 2023 June 27]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. (Original data: National Cemetery Administration. Nationwide Gravesite Locator.)
Henry C. Mayer's curriculum vitae (2009ms123 06-14 "Personal"; accessed 2023 June 27).
Scope and Content
The Henry Mayer papers (dated 1877-2001, undated; 6.65 cubic feet, 8 boxes) comprise materials that document the history of coal mine safety, of mine disasters/ explosions, various biographical collections on different labor leaders, industry executives, writers, and clergy members, newsletters and reports on the coal industry and various other organizations, coal production, surface and strip mining (including the Office of Surface Mining), the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) and other labor unions, background on various Kentucky counties as well as focuses on the eastern, western, and northeastern parts of the state, strikes (including the Stearns strike from 1976-1979), and Mayer's own records from his time as a visiting faculty member at the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Eastern Kentucky University, as well as his own writings. These materials include various newspaper clippings, reports, newsletters, speeches/ addresses, writings, photographs, cassette tapes, and a VHS collected across Mayer's life as a writer, researcher, civil servant, and other roles during the second half of the twentieth century.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

Coal Mine Safety and Disasters/Explosions, 1941-2001, undated

Scope and Contents

The Coal Mine Safety and Disasters/Explosions series (dated 1941-2001, undated; 1.0 cubic feet; 1 box; 27 folders) comprises various reports, newspaper clippings, and industry documents detailing coal mine safety from primarily the twentieth century, Kentucky mine disasters/explosions, scans and writings on Charles Norwood, and a 1976 technical report on Coal Miner Safety and Health. Mine disasters/ explosions cover the following counties: Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Hopkins, Johnson, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Perry, Pike, Union, and Webster.

Coal Mine Safety, Pre-1900, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 1
To top

Coal Mine Safety, 1900-1929, 1978, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 2-3
To top

Coal Mine Safety, 1930-1949, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 4
To top

Coal Mine Safety, 1950-1969, 1964-1969, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 5
To top

Coal Mine Safety, 1970-1979, 1971-1979, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 6
To top

Coal Mine Safety, 1980-1989, 1980-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 7-8
To top

Coal Mine Safety, 1990-1999, 1990-2001, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 9
To top

Coal Mine Safety, MESA, 1977-1984, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 10
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Historical Summaries, 1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 11
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Bell County (KY), 1980, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 12
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Floyd County (KY), 1976-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 13
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Harlan County (KY), 1980-1984, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 14
To top

Disasters/ Explosions, Hopkins County (KY), undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 15
To top

Disasters/ Explosions, Johnson County (KY) (includes photographs), 1982-1983, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 16
To top

Disasters/ Explosions, Knott County (KY), 1981-1985, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 17
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Leslie County (KY), 1977-1981, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 18
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Letcher County (KY), 1976-1983, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 19
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Muhlenberg County (KY), 1972-1997, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 20
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Ohio County (KY), 1976, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 21
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Perry County (KY), 1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 22
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Pike County (KY), undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 23
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Union County (KY), 1987-1996, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 24
To top

Disasters/Explosions, Webster County (KY) (includes photographs), 1941-1990, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 25
To top

Norwood, Charles, 1988, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 26
To top

Technical Report 1976, Coal Miner Safety and Health, 1976

  • Box 2009ms123-01, folder 27
To top

Coal Industry and Its Impacts, 1949-2001, undated

Scope and Contents

The Coal Industry and Its Impacts series (dated 1949-2001, undated; 1.0 cubic feet; 1 box; 31 folders) comprises Mayer's handwritten notes, newspaper clippings, reports, industry publications, and organizational newsletters detailing Kentucky coal executives and operators, the coal lifestyle, coal production, the Coal Mining Oral History Project, community development and the coal transition (including a focus on MACED), background information on Hywel Davies, the Office of Surface Mining (OSM), surface and strip mining, various coal companies, and the Wallace Wilkerson administration and its relationship to coal.

Bibliographies, Coal, 1991, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 1
To top

Coal Contact Lists, 1987-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 2
To top

Coal, Economic Analyses (KY), 1980-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 3
To top

Coal, Executives and Operators, 1976-1993, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 4-5
To top

Coal, Lifestyle, 1975-1984, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 6-7
To top

Coal Mining Oral History Project, 1988-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 8
To top

Coal, Production, 1963-2001, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 9-12
To top

Coal, Production, 1980-1983

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 13
To top

Community Development and MACED, 1986-1996, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 14
To top

Davies, Hywel, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 15
To top

Great Western Coal Company, 1991-1992

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 16
To top

Kentucky Dept. of Mines, 1915 Annual Report, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 17-18
To top

Mather, W.W., 1838 Ky. Geology Report, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 19
To top

Newsletters, Kentucky Coal Association, 1973-1990, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 20
To top

Newsletters, Kentucky Mines and Minerals, 1988-1989

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 21
To top

Newsletters, Misc., 1983-1996, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 22
To top

Newspaper clippings (copies), Pre-1900s, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 23
To top

Newspaper clippings, Ky. coal, 1989-1996, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 24
To top

Office of Surface Mining (OSM), 1980-1997, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 25-26
To top

South East Coal Company, 1990-1993, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 27
To top

Surface and Strip Mining, 1977-1990, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 28-29
To top

Transportation, 1949-1985, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 30
To top

Wilkinson, Wallace (administration), 1987-1993

  • Box 2009ms123-02, folder 31
To top

Labor, 1902-1994, undated

Scope and Contents

The Labor series (dated 1902-1994, undated; 1.0 cubic feet; 1 box; 35 folders) comprises Mayer's research notes, scans, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and journal article scans covering topics such as convict labor in Kentucky, early work contracts, labor disputes in 1920s eastern Kentucky, the Knights of Labor, roving pickets, sweetheart pacts/ contracts, wage statistics in the 1800s, wildcat mines and strikes, women miners, labor leaders (including George Ford, Samuel Herron, W.R. Ramsey, W.C. Webb, and national leaders), the National Miners Union, the Southern Labor Union, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) both nationally and in Kentucky (including focuses on Districts 19 and 23 in eastern and western Kentucky, respectively, the UMWA Journal, the Pittston Strike, newspaper coverage, and leaders such as Tom Raney and Richard Trumpka), and Mayer's notes on the Workingmen's Advocate newspaper.

Labor, Convict Labor, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 1-2
To top

Labor, Early Work Contracts, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 3
To top

Labor, Eastern Kentucky 1920s, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 4
To top

Labor, General, 1973-1992, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 5
To top

Labor, Knights of Labor, 1980, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 6
To top

Labor, Roving Pickets, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 7
To top

Labor, Sweetheart Pacts/ Contracts, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 8
To top

Labor, Wage Statistics 1800s, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 9
To top

Labor, Wildcat Mines and Strikes, 1986-1990, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 10
To top

Labor, Women Miners, 1977-1984, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 11
To top

Labor Leaders, Ford, George, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 12
To top

Labor Leaders, Herron, Samuel, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 13
To top

Labor Leaders, National, 1976-1985, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 14
To top

Labor Leaders, Ramsey, W.R. (includes photographs), 1984, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 15-18
To top

Labor Leaders, Webb, W.C., 1901-1982, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 19-20
To top

National Miners Union, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 21
To top

Southern Labor Union, 1974-1977, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 22
To top

UMWA, 1800s, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 23
To top

UMWA (KY), 1900s, 1930-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 24
To top

UMWA, 1975-1994, 1975-1994, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 25-26
To top

UMWA, affidavits 1947-1952, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 27-28
To top

UMWA, Districts 19 and 23 (KY), 1902-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 29
To top

UMWA, Journal, 1891-1899, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 30
To top

UMWA, Journal NE Kentucky, 1894-1895, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 31
To top

UMWA, Pittston Strike, 1989-1990, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 32
To top

UMWA, Raney, T. correspondence, 1950-1962, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 33
To top

UMWA, Trumpka, R. (includes photographs), 1982-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 34
To top

Workingmen's Advocate 1864-1870 (HCM notes), undated

  • Box 2009ms123-03, folder 35
To top

Coal in Kentucky, 1926-2001, undated

Scope and Contents

The Coal in Kentucky series (dated 1926-2001, undated; 1.0 cubic feet; 1 box; 35 folders) comprises newspaper clippings, writings, publications, and photographs covering the following counties: Hopkins, Laurel, Lawrence, Leslie, Letcher, Martin, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Perry, Pike, Rockcastle, Union, Wayne, Webster, and Whitley. There is also a medical survey of the bituminous coal industry, newspaper clippings on eastern Kentucky pre-1900 and during the 1981 strike, general background information on northeastern Kentucky and coal, general state history of Kentucky, and newspaper clippings and background information on western Kentucky and coal from the 1800s through 1993, including focuses on the 1924-1925 and 1981 strikes.

County, Bell, 1941-1992, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 1
To top

County, Floyd, 1975-1992, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 2
To top

County, Harlan, 1926-2001, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 3-7
To top

County, Hopkins, 1974-1992, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 8
To top

County, Laurel, 1975-1991, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 9
To top

County, Lawrence, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 10
To top

County, Leslie, 1991-1993, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 11
To top

County, Letcher, 1977-1991, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 12
To top

County, Martin, 1975-2001, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 13
To top

County, Muhlenberg, 1974-1993, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 14
To top

County, Ohio, 1977-1980, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 15
To top

County, Perry, 1980-1991, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 16
To top

County, Pike, 1985-1995, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 17
To top

County, Rockcastle, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 18
To top

County, Union, 1981-1992, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 19
To top

County, Wayne, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 20
To top

County, Webster (includes photographs), 1992-1993, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 21
To top

County, Whitley, 1973-1993, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 22
To top

1947 Medical Survey of the Bituminous Coal Industry, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 23-24
To top

Eastern Kentucky, strike, 1981, 1981, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 25
To top

Eastern Kentucky, coal mining, pre-1900, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 26
To top

Northeast Kentucky, general, 1976-1986, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 27
To top

State history, Kentucky, 1972-1992, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 28
To top

Western Kentucky, coal mining, 1800s, 1976-1980, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 29-30
To top

Western Kentucky, coal, 1900-1921, 1921-1976, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 31-32
To top

Western Kentucky, coal strike, 1924-1925, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 33
To top

Western Kentucky, coal, 1930-1993, 1931-1993, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 34
To top

Western Kentucky, coal strike, 1981, 1981, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-04, folder 35
To top

Coal in McCreary and Pulaski Counties, 1976-2001, undated

Scope and Contents

The Coal in McCreary and Pulaski Counties series (dated 1976-2001, undated; 1.0 cubic feet; 1 box; 24 folders) comprises newspaper clippings, writings, scans, and various other publications on McCreary and Pulaski Counties in southeastern Kentucky, ranging from before the 1912 split of McCreary from Pulaski County, to background information on coal (including Blue Diamond Coal Company), tourism, and other economic activities in the region, and extensive newspaper coverage of the Stearns strike from 1976-1979 (including the activism of the Sisters of Loretto). There are also newspaper clippings on general topics regarding the coal industry such as acid rain, black lung, and severance and mineral taxes.

Acid rain, 1983-2000, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 1
To top

Black lung, 1977-2001, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 2
To top

Blue Diamond Coal Company, 1976-1991, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 3-4
To top

Broad form deeds, 1981-1991, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 5
To top

County, McCreary coal mining, 1980-1984, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 6
To top

County, McCreary general life, 1977-1985, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 7
To top

County, McCreary pre-1912, 1977-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 8-9
To top

County, McCreary and Pulaski background on mining, 1977-1985, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 10
To top

County, Pulaski, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 11
To top

Stearns and McCreary, background and tourism, 1979-1990, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 12
To top

Stearns, Coal Mining in the Big South Fork 1990 report, 1990

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 13
To top

Stearns, coal prep plan, 1970-1990, 1981-1982, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 14
To top

Stearns, historical background, 1980-1985, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 15
To top

Stearns, Sisters of Loretto, 1979-1982, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 16
To top

Stearns, strike, 1976-1979, 1976-1997, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 17-22
To top

Stearns, surface mining interests, 1977-1987, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 23
To top

Tax, severance and mineral, 1978-1989, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-05, folder 24
To top

Personal, 1877-2001, undated

Scope and Contents

The Personal series (dated 1877-2001, undated; 1.0 cubic feet; 1 box; 27 folders) primarily comprises publications, scans, postcards, photographs, handwritten notes and drafts, and other ephemera detailing Mayer's correspondence, personal family history on his mother's family, the Rapps, writings, university work, and research notes. The correspondence includes communication with the University of Kentucky Appalachian Center, coal executives and operators, mining families, and family postcards. His writings include poems detailing various subjects, drafts of research papers, and research notes. There are also folders with work by Alan J. Banks, Harry Caudill, company stores, M.K. Gordon, coal reporting during the 1980s in the Louisville Courier-Journal, Willard Stanley, and Rembert Weakland, as well as various style guides for publications.

Appalachian Studies, 1975-1991, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 1
To top

Banks, A.J. dissertation, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 2-3
To top

Banks, A.J. writings, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 4
To top

Caudill, Harry, 1988-1991, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 5
To top

Company stores, 1971

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 6
To top

Correspondence, 1976-1996, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 7
To top

Gordon, M.K. bulletins and correspondence, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 8
To top

Gordon, M.K. legal proceedings, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 9
To top

Gordon, M.K. minutes, Operators Assoc., 1933-1936, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 10
To top

Louisville Courier-Journal, coal reporting, 1980s, 1982-1989

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 11
To top

Notebooks, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 12-13
To top

Personal, 1982-1997, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 14
To top

Rapp Family, 1877-1955, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 15-16
To top

Stanley, Willard, 1980-2001, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 17
To top

Style guides, 1971, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 18
To top

University work, Eastern Kentucky University, 1980-1981, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 19
To top

University work, University of Kentucky (includes photographs), 1939-1992, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 20
To top

Weakland, Rembert, 1985-1993, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 21
To top

Writings, 1958-1996, undated

  • Box 2009ms123-06, folder 22-27
To top

Photographs, 1981, undated

Scope and Contents

The Photographs series (dated 1981, undated; 0.5 cubic feet; 40 items) comprises photographs detailing UMWA charters and leaders (including JD Wood, Tom Raney, Carson Hibbitts, Ed. J. Morgan, James W. Riding, Joseph Smith, and Dennis Walker), coal miners, company towns (including Coalton), rail stops, mine disaster/ explosion aftermath scenes (including the Explosion at Belva #1 Four Mile Bell County), miner and mine equipment (including miner's hats with headlamps, cutting machines, and various belongings) and various scenes of coal camp life such as English language classes and funerals.

Kentucky Coal Products Tree, undated

  • Box 7, item 1
To top

National Progressive Union 1898 charter, undated

  • Box 7, item 2
To top

UMWA District 19 1917 Wage Scale Convention delegates, undated

  • Box 7, item 3
To top

Man kneeling in front of a mine entrance, undated

  • Box 9, item 1
To top

Group of men posed in front of a mine entrance, undated

  • Box 9, item 2
To top

Walker, Dennis portrait, undated

  • Box 9, item 3
To top

Group gathered at a railroad stop, undated

  • Box 9, item 4
To top

Signed portrait to Henry Mayer, undated

  • Box 9, item 5
To top

Group of men doing a radio show (negatives), undated

  • Box 9, item 6
To top

Morgan, Ed. J. portrait, undated

  • Box 9, item 7
To top

Raney, Tom portrait, undated

  • Box 9, item 8
To top

Hibbitts, Carson portrait, undated

  • Box 9, item 9
To top

Unnamed Hopkins Co. miner, 1912 portrait, undated

  • Box 9, item 10
To top

Ridings, James W. portrait, undated

  • Box 9, item 11
To top

Wood, J. portrait, undated

  • Box 9, item 12
To top

UMWA charter, JD Wood (President), Joseph Smith (Secretary), undated

  • Box 9, item 13
To top

UMWA District 23 Central City, Kentucky, undated

  • Box 9, item 14
To top

Man with horses and a wagon near a tower, undated

  • Box 9, item 15
To top

Miner's belongings, undated

  • Box 9, item 16
To top

Miner's hat with a lamp, undated

  • Box 9, item 17-18
To top

Photograph of a group of miners, undated

  • Box 9, item 19
To top

Group of miners' houses, Elkhorn Mining Company, circa 1914, undated

  • Box 10, item 1
To top

Group of men ramming a pole through a wall, undated

  • Box 10, item 2
To top

Aerial view of an unnamed company town, undated

  • Box 10, item 3
To top

Group of people at a funeral, 1981

  • Box 10, item 4
To top

Group of miners protesting losing their jobs, undated

  • Box 10, item 5
To top

Class in English language January 25, 1913, undated

  • Box 10, item 6
To top

Removal of one of the 25 victims Explosion at Belva Mine no. 1 Four Mile, Bell County, Kentucky December 28-29, 1945, undated

  • Box 10, item 7
To top

Group of men in suits, undated

  • Box 10, item 8
To top

A.D. James, M.D. Delegate from Muhlenberg, Kentucky, undated

  • Box 10, item 9
To top

Unnamed miner staring into the camera, undated

  • Box 10, item 10
To top

Cutting machine in St. Bernard mine, 1906, undated

  • Box 10, item 11
To top

Checkweighman at the tipple PV&K Coal Company, Harlan, undated

  • Box 10, item 12
To top

UMWA District No. 23 Official Ballot for term beginning April 1, 1923, undated

  • Box 10, item 13
To top

Aerial drawing of Coalton "Coalton supplied coal for Norton and Theashland Iron and Mining Co.", undated

  • Box 10, item 14
To top

Rural rail stop, undated

  • Box 10, item 15
To top

Ashland Steel Co. built in 1891, bought by American Rolling Mill in 1926, undated

  • Box 10, item 16
To top

Group of miners posed with horses, undated

  • Box 10, item 17-18
To top

Audiovisual, 1989, undated

Scope and Contents

The Audiovisual series (dated 1989, undated; 0.15 cubic feet; 13 items) comprises twelve cassette tapes and one VHS tape that document Mayer's interviews with figures such as Harry LaViers III, Dave Zeeger, Edward Lee Cawood, Darwin Allen, Jim Roor, Ron Gaudiano, Nyan Greeyn, and Duane Bennett, a BOA-POWER meeting, and the film "Matewan" which dramatized the fight between a West Virginia coal mining community and the mining company.

Interview with Harry LaViers III Tape #1, undated

  • Box 8, item 1
To top

Dave Zeeger Tape no. 1, undated

  • Box 8, item 2
To top

Dave Zeeger Tape no. 2, undated

  • Box 8, item 3
To top

BOA-POWER meeting, 1989 September 12

  • Box 8, item 4
To top

Edward Lee Cawood, undated

  • Box 8, item 5
To top

I "Start" Darwin Allen, undated

  • Box 8, item 6
To top

Madden (A side), Mr Thomas (B side), undated

  • Box 8, item 7
To top

Jim Roor, 1989 February 23

  • Box 8, item 8
To top

Ron Gaudiano no. 1, 1989 May 19

  • Box 8, item 9
To top

RGH2?, undated

  • Box 8, item 10
To top

Nyan Greeyn no. 1, 1989 February 10

  • Box 8, item 11
To top

Duane Bennett no. 2, 1989 February 11

  • Box 8, item 12
To top

"Matewan" VHS, undated

  • Box 8, item 13
To top

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.

UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

Requests

No items have been requested.



Submit a request for SCRC materials.




You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.