John Kennedy describes the evolution of his career and transition to Washington in 1974. Upon suggestion from Eula Hall, Director of the Mud Creek Clinic, and with an official offer from Tom Ludwig, the union rep responsible for occupational health and safety initiatives, Kennedy began to manage the Kentucky and Tennessee programs under UMW’s Black …
John McArthur tells the story of his and the board’s decision to hire Bob Firestone and John Twiggs, both from the University of Minnesota, as the Jacksboro Clinic’s first two National Health Service Corps physicians. Despite cultural differences, the community welcomed them and their expansion of the clinic beyond black lung into primary care. …
Bob Firestone and John Twiggs arrive in Jacksboro Read More »
John McArthur names two of his heroes in the effort to organize the black lung clinic in Jacksboro, Tenn. According to him, Columbus McGhee, a coal miner, and his wife, Ruby, were the lifeblood of the Black Lung Association (BLA) at the time. Full footage of the 2017 ETRC panel featuring John Williams, John …
Stuart, Reginald. “Higher Appalachia Taxes Asked.” New York Times, June 22, 1974. Read article online.
Charles “Boomer” Winfrey and Maureen O’Connell ruminate on work left to be done in the eastern Tennessee region of Appalachia. Their focus pertains mostly to the ongoing need for augmented healthcare resources, drug education and reform, and meeting the needs of those left in the coverage cracks as a repercussion of Tennessee’s decision not to …
Charles “Boomer” Winfrey and Maureen O’Connell consider what set the Student Health Coalition (SHC) apart from other community development efforts in the Appalachian region of East Tennessee. Boomer focuses on the Coalition’s and Save Our Cumberland Mountains’ (SOCM’s) value of community empowerment (by way of such activities like education and legislation). Maureen emphasizes the mutual …
Reflections on the SHC’s approach to community healthcare Read More »
Maureen traces the development of her involvement with Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM) and the Student Health Coalition (SHC), beginning with her 1969 introduction to Marie Cirillo and research presence in Clairfield, Tenn. Recorded on May 20th, 2013. Full footage of interview with Maureen O’Connell and Charles “Boomer” Winfrey.
Biff Hollingsworth, archivist at UNC’s Wilson Special Collections Library’s Southern Historical Collection, comes across some highlights from J.W. Bradley‘s recently donated collection of papers. The first is a newspaper clipping of J.W., president of Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM), with Ralph Nader. Together they overlook and discuss a strip mined area in Campbell County, Tenn. …
Highlights from J.W. Bradley’s collection of papers Read More »
Richard Davidson M.D., M.P.H., recalls his interactions with a local healer in the community of Stoney Fork, Tenn., while serving as the first physician for Mountain People’s Health Councils (MPHC), a consortium of health clinics originally formed by the communities of Norma (Scott County), Petros (Morgan County), and Stoney Fork (Campbell County). Each clinic grew …
Rick Davidson talks about a local healer in the Stoney Fork community Read More »
Caryl Carpenter, former administrator of the Mountain People’s Health Councils (MPHC) of East Tennessee, shares a story about community leader Odes McKamey of Stoney Fork, Tenn. MPHC was founded in 1974 as a coalition of three rural health clinics in Norma (Scott County), Petros (Morgan County) and Stoney Fork (Campbell County). Each clinic grew out …
Caryl Carpenter on community leader Odes McKamey Read More »
