Collections : [West Virginia and Regional History Center]

Papers of Appalachian author Denise Giardina, whose 1987 novel Storming Heaven received the W. D. Weatherford Award, and 1992 novel The Unquiet Earth received the American Book Award and the Lillian Smith Book Award for fiction. The collection includes research notebooks and draft manuscripts of her historical novels Good King Harry, Storming Heaven, The Unquiet Earth, Saints and Villains, and Emily's Ghost.

Coal mine inspection records compiled by Earl W. Kennedy, mine inspector and safety manager. Includes notebooks of mine inspection records kept by Kennedy, memoranda regarding mine safety audits, safety training materials, and other material. Records mainly regard the Consolidation Coal Company (now Consol Energy, Inc.).

This collection includes materials from Dr. Emory L. Kemp's career of researching, documenting, and preserving historic structures. Kemp was a practicing civil engineer from 1952-1959, then taught civil engineering, historic preservation, and the history of technology from 1962-2003 at West Virginia University. He served as an expert consultant for the preservation of many historic engineering structures, including bridges, waterways, and mills. He also published regularly and remained active in several professional organizations.

This collection includes materials pertaining to Libby Lindsay Dingess's work as a coal miner and union activist. It includes newspaper clippings, papers, and other materials from various coal mining operations, as well as various materials from the Coal Employment Project and the United Mine Workers of America union. Other materials include papers on employment equality, newsletters from the Coal Mining Women's Support Team News, and newspapers on coal mining strikes from the late 1980s to early 1990s. Also included in the collection are stickers and pins relating to coal mining and various coal mining conferences throughout the country.

This collection contains motion pictures related to West Virginia and the greater Appalachian region. Mediums include news footage, documentary films, industrials and West Virginia University footage.

Sticker and decal collection representing the West Virginia and regional coal mining industry and ancillary support industries, including trucking. Highlights include Valvoline Racing Oil, ARCH Coal Company of West Virginia, numerous safety reminder stickers, and many union representation stickers. Some well represented unions include the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), among others. Robert E. Maynard, Sr. (1944-2021) was part of the West Virginia coal mining industry up until his retirement in 2002. This collection is minimally processed.

This collection contains materials of various formats used and created by historian Dr. Ronald Lewis throughout his career. There are records and course materials from classes taught by Dr. Lewis at the University of Delaware and, primarily, at West Virginia University (WVU). It includes other documents relating to his work as a faculty advisor to graduate students in WVU's history department. There is extensive documentation of his research, most of which was done on Appalachian history and West Virginia coal mining, including articles he has written, facsimiles of primary and secondary sources used in his research, and A/V materials like oral histories. Records generated from Dr. Lewis's scholarly activities are included, such as book and article reviews and conference presentations. There are also materials relating to his other professional pursuits, such as his membership in historical organizations and correspondence with other professionals in the field. This collection provides a broad overview of the work of an historian in an academic institution.

The dates provided are reflective of material creation, except within the Welsh Miners and Scott's Run subseries. These dates, listed in folder titles, reflect the content and were determined by the donor when he created and titled these files. Please be aware that the dates may not be accurate for every item within the folder/box but rather reflect the general timeframe of the subject matter.

Born digital and audiovisual materials exist within the collection as floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and cassettes.

Addendum of 2024 May 29 includes similar materials but reflects Dr. Lewis's more recent work. There are materials relating to his work as a professor and faculty member, the development of two books and other publications, and documentation of his career. Common formats include lecture notes, facsimiles of research sources, and correspondence; digital materials exist within the addendum as floppy disks, zip disks, and CDs.