The Harlan County Coal Miner Memorial Monument is located near the courthouse in Harlan, Kentucky. The Harlan County Jaycees Club and the Harlan County Fiscal Court originally erected this monument in 1986, but rededicated it in 1991. The memorial includes a very large wall inscribed with 1,320 names of miners who died while on the job in Harlan County. Also included in this memorial is a large lump of coal at the base of the wall.
“Harlan County Coal Miner Memorial Monument,” photos by Zoe Brooks
Further Readings:
Dead Work: The Construction and Reconstruction of the Harlan Miners Memorial
Shaunna Scott, “Dead Work: The Construction and Reconstruction of the Harlan Miners Memorial,” in Qualitative Sociology, 1996.
A Brief History of Harlan County, USA
Cal Winslow, “A Brief History of Harlan County, USA,” in Labor Notes, 2019.
Kentucky Mining Accidents 1864-2006
“Kentucky Mining Accidents,” from The United States Mine Rescue Association, 1864-2006.