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During 2002 and 2003, our southwest Virginia community leaders, from the coal mining, business, and educational sectors, worked together to plan, fund, and facilitate the creation of a public memorial to honor the men and women who have been killed in the mines from Buchanan, Russell and Tazewell Counties of Virginia. The memorial is composed of a large serpentine black granite wall with a center stream of water falling between the listing of over 1000 names on one side. On the other side, a six-foot bronze sculpture of a coal miner (created by Maria Kirby-Smith) appears to be exiting the mine opening centered on the wall, with renderings of the history of the coal miner (created by myself and my student, Thomas Hagerman) etched into both ends of the wall. The Coal Miners’ Memorial was dedicated on May 17, 2003 on the grounds of the Richlands Town Hall in a moving ceremony of unveiling the memorial, music, speakers, and the reading of the names on the wall.
It was great honor to be a part of this project, and to collaborate with one of my top students, Thomas Hagerman, in the creation of the eleven pen and ink drawings which, by use of a computer laser process, were etched into the black granite wall of the memorial. The Richlands Chamber of Commerce currently has prints and postcards available and for sale of these designs.