Matewan, WV (WOAY) The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum is unveiling a powerful new exhibit highlighting the deadly legacy of silica dust exposure in coal country.
The exhibit, titled Entirely Preventable: The Toxic Legacy of Silica Dust from Hawks Nest to Black Lung, is on display in the museum’s Solidarity Gallery.
Curated by Stacy Kranitz, it features the work of artists Earl Dotter and Raymond Thompson Jr. and traces decades of worker exposure and labor activism from the 1930s Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster to ongoing efforts to strengthen federal silica regulations.
The museum will host a special event on June 20 honoring miners lost to silicosis and black lung disease.
The event will also spotlight advocates and labor leaders pushing for stronger protections and benefits.
Speakers include former MSHA Assistant Secretary Chris Williamson, Appalachian legal advocate Evan Smith, United Mine Workers members Danny Whitt and Terry Steele, and National Black Lung Association President Gary Hairston, along with a roundtable with the featured artists.
The event will also include live music, light refreshments, and interactive activities. Organizers say the exhibit serves as both a remembrance and a call to action.
For more information about the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, visit wvminewars.org or follow their Facebook page.
