The Navy Inspected Harlan County House by House. Its Photographer Stayed With One Family.
In May 1946 the federal government seized the bituminous coal mines. Section 5 of the agreement that ended the strike ordered "a comprehensive survey and study of the hospital and medical facilities, medical treatment, sanitary, and housing conditions in the coal mining areas." Rear Admiral Joel T. Boone ran it.
Transcript
The order
These are officers of the United States Navy. In the autumn of nineteen forty-six they were sent to look inside coal miners' houses.
The order is one paragraph. Section five of an agreement signed on the twenty-ninth of May, nineteen forty-six, between the federal government and the United Mine Workers of America.
A comprehensive survey and study of the hospital and medical facilities, medical treatment, sanitary, and housing conditions in the coal mining areas.
A documentary photographer
The staff had an engineer, a doctor, an adviser on sanitation, an adviser on recreation. And one more.
A documentary photographer, to make a photographic record of observable conditions in coal-mining communities. The personnel list gives his name. Mister Russell W. Lee.
R001 The tipple. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
In September of nineteen forty-six he came to Harlan County, Kentucky, and stayed about two weeks.
About the color
R002 Tipple of Mine #31. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
One note before we go in. The color is not original. Lee worked in black and white.
R003 Tipple, head house and conveyor. Harlan-Wallin Coal Corporation, Marne #1 Mine, Verda, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
These frames were colorized by a machine learning model. Every color is that model's estimate, not the record. The originals are free to anyone at the National Archives.
Eighty-seven percent
The report explains why Harlan was on the list. In a few counties, it says, the ratio of miners to all employed workers runs over seventy-five percent.
R004 Railroad yards. Company housing project, and tipple. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Harlan County, Kentucky, where it is eighty-seven percent. Of every hundred working men in the county, eighty-seven went underground.
R005 Dumping car of coal at the tipple. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The coal came out on rails and went over the tipple, where it was weighed, and where a man's day became a number.
Lejunior
R006 Houses for miners adjacent to incline from tipple (not shown) to Head house (upper right). Dixie Darby Fuel Company, Marne Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Lee spent most of his two weeks in one camp. Lejunior, up a hollow east of the town of Harlan.
R007 One of the houses rented to miners in this mine. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The houses belonged to the coal company. So did the ground under them.
R008 Miners and their families gather around the community store and office. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The community store, and the office. Both of them the company's.
R009 Restaurant which is down the road from the coal camp; this is not on company property. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
His caption on the restaurant down the road is careful to say it. This is not on company property.
R010 The grade school which is used by several coal camps in this vicinity. It was built with WPA funds. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The grade school drew from about eight coal camps in the vicinity. It was built with W-P-A funds. Federal money, not company money.
R011 Housing for miners owned and rented privately by Mrs. S. E. Bennett, owner of Benito Mine, Benito, Kentucky. Benito, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And a few miles off, houses owned and rented privately by Missus S. E. Bennett, who owned the Benito mine.
Bank clothes
R012 Mr. Sergent dresses in clean clothing early in the morning, turns on the radio for some music "to start the day", eats breakfast and then about six o'clock he says to his wife, "Rhoda, hand me my bank clothes" and he dresses and goes to the mine. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
In Lejunior, Lee found a coal loader named Blaine Sarjent. The caption on this frame runs to fifty words. He dresses in clean clothing early in the morning, turns on the radio for some music, to start the day.
R013 Blaine Sergent ready to go to the mines. Short pole in his right hand is used to provide extra support as he walks bent over in the mine. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
He eats breakfast, and then about six o'clock he says to his wife, Rhoda, hand me my bank clothes. And he dresses and goes to the mine.
R014 Blaine Sergent, left, comes out of the mine at the end of the day's work. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The short pole in his right hand is used to provide extra support as he walks bent over in the mine. He had been a coal miner for forty-eight years.
R015 Blaine Sergent, coal loader, putting up his check at end of day's work; he had loaded seventeen tons of coal this day. This mine seldom works over five days weekly. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Putting up his check at the end of the day's work. That day he had loaded seventeen tons of coal.
R016 Chalk written sign on sand dryer. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
A sign chalked on the sand dryer.
R017 Miners bring in their checks and see the sign that there is no Saturday work. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Miners bring in their checks and see the sign that there is no Saturday work. This mine seldom works over five days weekly.
R018 Blaine Sergent, coal loader, rests briefly on his front porch before taking his bath after the day's work; he had loaded seventeen tons of coal that day. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Resting on his front porch before taking his bath.
R019 Blaine Sergent, third in line, at the pay window. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Saturday. Third in line at the pay window.
R020 Blaine Sergent, left, talks with a fellow miner in the front porch of the company store on Saturday morning. Talking and visiting was not only the major recreaton of Mr. Sergent, but was one in which he took the greatest pleasure. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And afterward, the porch of the company store. Talking and visiting, Lee wrote, was not only his major recreation, but the one in which he took the greatest pleasure.
The house
R021 Mrs. Sergent in her living room. She is an immaculate housekeeper; she is forty-six years old and has given birth to fourteen children, six of whom are now living at home and two married sons live nearby, both working in the coal mines. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
His wife was forty-six. The caption states, without comment, that she had given birth to fourteen children. Six were living at home.
R022 Mrs. Sergent washing. She is a tireless and meticulous housekeeper and her children are always in clean, starched and ironed clothing. Conversations with other people in the camp determined that this was a normal conditon and was not done for the photographic purposes. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Lee added a line to this frame that tells you exactly what he expected to be accused of. Conversations with other people in the camp determined that this was a normal condition, and was not done for the photographic purposes.
R023 Mrs. Blaine Sergent rinsing the freshly washed breakfast dishes. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The breakfast dishes, freshly washed.
R024 Wanda Lee Sergent hands her sister, Bobbie Jean, an ice cream cone through the window opening from the front porch to the living room of their home. No screening of windows nor doors is supplied by the company. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Wanda Lee hands her sister an ice cream cone through the opening between the porch and the living room. And the caption records what that opening was. No screening of windows nor doors is supplied by the company.
R025 Louis Sergent getting water for washday before going to school. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
There was no tap in the house. Water came from outside, and carrying it was a child's job.
R026 Bobbie Jean Sergent, 4, goes with Lucy, 26, who is blind, to get water. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Bobbie Jean, four, goes with Lucy, twenty-six, who is blind, to get water.
R027 Some of the family eat Sunday dinner; on Sundays the two married sons of the Sergents, their wives and children often come home for Sunday dinner: the men folk go off into the woods to play poker, shoot craps, hunt squirrel. The womenfolk talk and visit among themselves and with the neighbors. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
On Sundays the two married sons came home to eat. The men went off into the woods to play poker, shoot craps, hunt squirrel.
R028 The Sergent Family on their front porch. Reading from L. to R., Franklin D., Louis, Lucy, Mr. Blaine Sergent, Bobbie Jean, Mrs. Sergent, Wanda Lee and Donald. Mr. and Mrs. Sergent have two married sons living nearby, Rufus, who lives next door and is a coal cutter in the same mine and Junior who lives and works at Verda Mine several miles away. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Reading from left to right: Franklin D., Louis, Lucy, Mister Blaine Sarjent, Bobbie Jean, Missus Sarjent, Wanda Lee and Donald.
Lucy
R029 Lucy Sergent, 26, who has been blind since birth, writing. She attended the Kentucky State School for the Blind for eleven years, graduating from high school there. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Lucy Sarjent was twenty-six and had been blind since birth. She attended the Kentucky State School for the Blind for eleven years and graduated from high school there, which made her the most educated person in the house.
R030 Lucy Sergent dusting. Although she has been totally blind since birth she is exceedingly adept at household tasks such as getting water, with the guidance of her younger sister, dusting, washing clothes and dishes, etc. She graduated from high school at the Kentucky State School for the Blind. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Although she has been totally blind since birth, Lee wrote, she is exceedingly adept at household tasks. Getting water, with the guidance of her younger sister. Dusting. Washing clothes and dishes.
R031 Lucy Sergent, who is blind, rocks her sister Bobbie Jean to sleep. Great devotion and family feeling among the parents and children in this family was evident. The older children helped the youngsters with their lessons; the boys always walked home with their younger sisters from school; the boys brought home nuts from the woods for the younger girls, etc. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Great devotion and family feeling among the parents and children in this family was evident. The older children helped the youngsters with their lessons.
R032 Lucy Sergent, in flowered dress, attends Sunday school at the Pentecostal Church of God. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And on Sunday, Sunday school at the Pentecostal Church of God.
Two brothers
R033 Louis Sergent, 16, who is in his first year at high school, does his homework. Both he and his father are determined that he will finish high school and not work in the coal mines. With the exception of Lucy who is blind and attended the State School for The Blind, Louis is the first member of the family to finish grade school. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Two of the boys were at the age where the county decided things. Lee wrote both futures down in the same week. Louis was sixteen, in his first year of high school.
R034 Louis Sergent, the tallest boy in a sport jacket, catches the bus which will take him into the Evarts High School where he is a freshman student. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The tallest boy in the sport jacket, catching the bus into Evvarts.
R035 Louis Sergent, 16, who is in the freshmen class at the Evarts High School. With the exception of his blind sister, Lucy, he is the first member of the entire family to complete grammar school. Both he and his father are determined that he will get his high school diploma and not work in the mines. Evarts, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
With the exception of his blind sister Lucy, he is the first member of the entire family to complete grammar school.
R036 Louis Sergent, second from left, and a group of his high school friends admire a pony. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Both he and his father are determined that he will get his high school diploma, and not work in the mines.
R037 Franklin D. Sergent who is 13 years old and in the fifth grade does his homework
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Franklin D. was thirteen, and in the fifth grade.
R038 Franklin D. Sergent at school. He is thirteen years old and is in the fifth grade; he dosen't like school and is anxious for the day when he can quit and go to work in the mines. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
He doesn't like school, Lee wrote, and is anxious for the day when he can quit and go to work in the mines.
R039 The fifth grade, of which Franklin D. Sergant is one of the thirty-nine pupils. This grade school drew its pupils from approximately eight coal camps in the vicinity, was built with WPA funds. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
He was one of thirty-nine pupils in that grade.
R040 Franklin D. Sergent sledding home household coal from the mine. The company charges $2.80 monthly for household coal, designating certain coal which the miners may haul away themselves; if the company does the hauling a charge of $1.50 per ton is made for haulage. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Sledding home the household coal. The company charged two dollars and eighty cents a month for coal a miner hauled himself. A dollar fifty a ton if the company hauled it.
R041 Rufus Sergent, married son, who is now coal cutter and general all around miner. Rufus did not like school and quit before finishing grade school. He went to work in the mines ten years ago when he was thirteen years old. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The oldest brother had already answered the question. Rufus did not like school and quit before finishing grade school.
R042 Rufus Sergent, 23, his wife and son. Rufus is a son of Blaine Sergent, a coal miner for forty-eight years; Rufus has been working in the mines since he was fifteen, quitting school in the fourth grade. He is now a cutter. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
He went to work in the mines ten years ago, when he was thirteen years old. He is now a cutter. At twenty-three he had a wife and a son.
R043 Donald Sergent visits Dr. Brooks' office with a bruised foot. The medical fee at this company is $2.50 per month for a married man. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And here is the survey's actual subject. Donald Sarjent visits Doctor Brooks' office with a bruised foot. The medical fee at this company is two dollars and fifty cents a month for a married man.
Sunday
R044 Sunday school at the Baptist church which is not on company property and was built by the miners. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Lee stayed through a Sunday. The Baptist church was not on company property and was built by the miners.
R045 Eli Sanders, pastor at the Pentecostal Church of God; he is a tipple worker and track loader at P V & K Coal Company, Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
The pastor of the Pentecostal Church of God was a man named Eli Sanders.
R046 Eli Sanders, tipple worker, loads coal on car which has fallen off cars enroute to tipple. He is Pastor of Holiness (Pentecostal Church of God) Church. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Six days a week he was a tipple worker and track loader at the same mine as everybody else in this film.
R047 Handling serpents at the Pentecostal Church of God. This church is not on company property, nor have any company funds been used towards its building or upkeep; most of the members are coal miners and their families. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
On the seventh, his congregation handled serpents. Most of the members are coal miners and their families.
R048 Handling of serpents, a part of the ceremony at the Pentecostal Church of God. This coal camp offers none of the modern types of amusement and many of the people attend the services of this church more for the mass excitement and emotionalism than because of belief in the tenets of this church. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Lee's caption offers an explanation, and it is worth hearing as his opinion, not as fact. This coal camp offers none of the modern types of amusement, and many of the people attend more for the mass excitement than because of belief in the tenets of this church.
R049 Wanda Lee Sergent, in striped dress, in Sunday School at the Pentecostal Church of God. Lucy and some of the children went to Sunday School and some of the services of this church but Mr. and Mrs. Sergent were not members; they talked about the various ceremonies of this church with a sort of awed curiosity but took no part in the general excitement and hysteria. Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Lucy and some of the children went. Mister and Missus Sarjent were not members. They talked about the ceremonies with a sort of awed curiosity, but took no part.
R050 Mr. Sergent, with hat on, visits with friends in the camp. P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine, Lejunior, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And their father spent his Sunday the way the caption said he liked best.
Kenvir
R051 Row of houses, occupied by miners. Where the people are on the porch is the home of Furman Currington. He has 6 rooms which rent for $15.00 per month. There are 7 children, 3 grandchildren in addition to Mr. and Mrs. Currington. There are 5 beds in this home, one of them for Mr. and Mrs. Currington, one for 2 grown boys, one for 2 grown girls, one for 4 little boys, and one for 2 middle sized girls. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Then Lee moved to a bigger camp. Kenvir, across the county, owned by the Black Mountain Corporation.
R052 Front porch and family of Furman Currington, miner, who lives in company housing project. Two of family are not in picture. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Here the captions turn into arithmetic. Furman Currington had six rooms, which rented for fifteen dollars a month. Seven children and three grandchildren, in addition to Mister and Missus Currington.
R053 One of the bedrooms in home of Furman Currington, miner. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
There are five beds in this home. One for Mister and Missus Currington, one for two grown boys, one for two grown girls, one for four little boys, and one for two middle-sized girls.
R054 Mrs. Furman Currington, wife of miner, hangs up laundry in kitchen of her 6 room house which rents for $15.00 per month and houses 12 persons. Black Mountain 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Twelve people, in six rooms. The laundry hung in the kitchen.
R055 Home of miner in company housing project. Notice drainage in street. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Notice drainage in street, the caption says. That is the survey talking, not the photographer.
R056 Row of privies. Third from the left is that used by the Furman Currington family. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Row of privies. Third from the left is that used by the Furman Currington family.
Across the whole survey, two thousand and twenty-eight houses were inspected. Seventy-five percent of them had privies, and only a relatively small percentage were considered able to meet authoritative standards.
R057 Front porch of home of Virgil Price, miner. They have lived here 12 years. Have 4 children, 2 beds, pay rent $10 per month, electricity is extra, running water is outside on porch. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Virgil Price had lived here twelve years. Four children, two beds, ten dollars a month. Electricity is extra. Running water is outside, on the porch.
R058 Mrs. Virgil Price, wife of miner, draws a bucket of water. Notice drainage system for this water. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
His wife draws a bucket of water. Notice drainage system for this water.
R059 Mrs. Virgil Price, wife of miner, peels a head of lettuce in garbage pile adjacent to privy. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And this one the survey wrote down exactly as it found it. Missus Virgil Price peels a head of lettuce in garbage pile adjacent to privy.
![Front porch of home of Murray Price, miner. They have running water inside, have lived in this house 2 years [; it] rents for $10.00 per month. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mi](img/R060.jpg)
R060 Front porch of home of Murray Price, miner. They have running water inside, have lived in this house 2 years [; it] rents for $10.00 per month. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Murray Price, four rooms, ten dollars a month. They have running water inside. In this camp that was worth recording.
R061 Child of Murray Price, miner, asleep on couch where he normally sleeps at night. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
His child, asleep on the couch where he normally sleeps at night.
R062 Bedroom in home of Murray Price, miner, six people sleep in these two beds. One larger boy is missing in picture. He sleeps in a bed on right. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Six people sleep in these two beds. One larger boy is missing in picture.
R063 Mrs. Robert Moffett, with of miner, in her kitchen. They have lived in this house for 2 years, rental $10.00 per month. There are 3 children, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law living here in addition to Mr. and Mrs. Moffett. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Missus Robert Moffett. Ten dollars a month. Three children, a mother-in-law and a brother-in-law, in addition to the Moffetts.
R064 Photograph of Coal Miner Carl Ruth and His Family
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Carl Ruth, miner, and his family. Also ten dollars a month.
R065 G.W. Hall, district field worker UMWA gives oath to miners joining union. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And a union man came through. G. W. Hall, district field worker, giving the oath to miners joining the United Mine Workers.
What medicine looked like
R066 Dr. R. S. Howard, company doctor, giving intravenous injection of Aminophylline for miner's asthma to James E. Lee. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines. Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Kenvir had a company doctor. This is Doctor R. S. Howard, giving an injection to a miner named James E. Lee for his asthma.
R067 Dan Moore, miner, in company hospital receiving visit from family members. He has double hernia. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And a company hospital. Dan Moore, receiving a visit from family members. He has a double hernia.
R068 Hugh Pierce, miner, in hospital, with broken leg caused by slate fall in mine Sept. 4th. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Hugh Pierce, with a broken leg caused by slate fall in mine September fourth. The survey team arrived on the sixth.
R069 Jack Anderson, miner, who suffered fractured spine in slate fall 28 months ago. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Jack Anderson, who suffered fractured spine in slate fall twenty-eight months ago.
R070 X-Ray machine in hospital owned by the company. Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines, Kenvir, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And an X-ray machine, in a hospital owned by the company.
Lynch
R071 General store operated by subsidiary company. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
On the nineteenth of September, Lee drove to Lynch. Same county. Owned by United States Steel.
R072 Grade school children of miners. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
A grade school.
R073 Country club open to all employees of the company. Dances are held here for miners' children every Saturday night. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
A country club, open to all employees of the company, where dances were held for miners' children every Saturday night.
R074 Reception room in clinic in company owned hospital. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And a hospital with a reception room.
R075 One of general treatment rooms in clinic. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
A treatment room.
R076 Pre-employment examination of miners is undertaken by doctor in company owned hospital. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
Where new men were examined before they were hired.
R077 X-Ray equipment in company owned hospital. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
X-ray equipment.
R078 Delivery room in company owned hospital. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
A delivery room.
R079 Operating room in company owned hosptial. U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines, Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky.
Russell Lee · Harlan County, Ky., Sept. 1946 · National Archives, RG 245 · AI-colorized. View the original.
And an operating room. In the same county, in the same two weeks, as the row of privies at Kenvir and the water bucket at Lejunior. That distance is the report's whole argument.
What the survey said
Twenty-three years earlier, the United States Coal Commission had described these same houses. The nineteen forty-seven report quotes that description at length, and then says it still fits.
If it is custom and tradition that mine families shall exist in squalor, it is time for that custom and tradition to be abolished.
The record
The agreement that ordered this survey had also created a welfare and retirement fund for miners, and a medical and hospital fund. These photographs were the evidence gathered for them.
Admiral Boone sent the report to the Secretary of the Interior in March of nineteen forty-seven. The importance of our report, he wrote, has required stern self-discipline and a determined insistence that it be factual.
Sources
- A Medical Survey of the Bituminous-Coal Industry, Coal Mines Administration, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1947. Public domain federal document; https://archive.org/details/AMedicalSurveyOfTheBituminous-coalIndustry ⚠️ Use the 67 MB `00000001.PDF` (uppercase), not the 13.7 MB `00000001.pdf`. Both are 333 pages with identical geometry, but the lowercase derivative recompresses the halftones to ~8 KB a page and the photographs are unreadable. All plates here come from the 67 MB scan, rendered at 300 dpi. - p. iii — Letters of Transmittal, Rear Admiral Joel T. Boone to Secretary J. A. Krug, 17 March 1947. *
- Russell Lee, *Photographs of the Medical Survey of the Bituminous Coal Industry, compiled 1946–1947*. National Archives Record Group 245 (Records of the Solid Fuels Administration for War), series NAID 540230. Federal works — public domain, unrestricted use. Mirrored on Wikimedia Commons; each frame's catalogue record is at `catalog.archives.gov/id/<NAID>` and is linked per exhibit in `exhibits.json`.
- 79 frames used, all Harlan County, Kentucky. Local identifiers run 245-MS-…L.
- Dates, from each frame's own record: 4, 6, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 19 September 1946. Kenvir was photographed 6–8 September, Lejunior 12–17 September, Lynch on 19 September.
- Places: Lejunior (P V & K Coal Company, Clover Gap Mine; Dixie Darby Fuel Company, Marne Mine), Kenvir (Black Mountain Corporation, 30-31 Mines), Lynch (U.S. Coal & Coke Company, U.S. #30 & 31 Mines), Benito, Verda (Harlan-Wallin Coal Corporation, Marne #1) and Evarts.
- The narration quotes Lee's captions. They are his, written in the field, and the script says so where his judgement rather than his observation is being quoted — in particular the serpent-handling caption, which offers an opinion about why people attended.
- Period-language sweep: none of the 122 candidate Harlan captions contains period racial terminology; the 79 used are clean as written.
- All photograph plates are AI-colorized with DDColor (`tools/colorize.py`), run on 2,600-px downsamples of the archival files, then audited for colorization misses with `tools/spotfix.py` (ensemble re-colorization at three crop scales; only regions every pass agrees on are repaired).
- Every colour on screen is a model's estimate. The black-and-white originals are the record, they are free, and they are linked above. This is stated on screen in the episode, in the description, and by the altered-content disclosure on the upload.
- The report's Harlan ratio (87 percent) is a 1940 census figure carried into a 1947 report, not something the survey measured in 1946.
- Lee's caption on the Pentecostal congregation ("more for the mass excitement … than because of belief in the tenets of this church") is his interpretation. Nothing in the record tests it.
- The survey's house-by-house scores are reported nationally and by area. This episode does not claim a Harlan-County-specific housing score, because the report does not publish one.
- What became of the Sergent children after 1946 is not in this record.