Why is the history of coal mining relevant to Black History Month?
JB: Black History Month was launched by Carter Woodson, the great African-American historian, who worked for several years in the West Virginia coal mines. In fact, Woodson always recalled how his love for black history was first inspired by listening to the stories of African-American miners, their epic labor battles, and the largely unknown role of black miners in the earliest American mining experience. While the first American coal mines opened with African slave labor in Virginia in the mid-1700s, the French imported 500 slaves from Haiti to mine coal and lead in Illinois in 1702. Despite the Northwest Ordinance forbidding slavery in the Illinois territory, black slaves were also used to mine coal and salt in southern Illinois region. Jeff Biggers will be reading from his book and talking about the “coal roots” of Black History Month Friday, Feb. 26, 8pm at Harlem Arts Salon, 1925 Seventh Avenue, 7L, (between 116th and 117 Streets) in Manhattan. For more information, visit harlema
