The Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom Presents: Harlan County USA at 50
Oct. 15 marks 50 years since the premiere of "Harlan County USA." The Academy Award-winning documentary shined a light on an eastern Kentucky coal mining community and their fight for a union contract.
The Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom is commemorating the anniversary with an hourlong audio special, “Harlan County USA at 50.”
WKMS News Director Derek Operle spent months diving into the documentary’s impact and lasting legacy, traveling to Harlan County and other parts of the state. Tune in to hear from director Barbara Kopple, miners and people inspired by the seminal film.
We partnered with Twelve Lions Film Festival to share a sneak peak of our hourlong special at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington on Sept. 25.
On Oct. 13, Maiden Alley Cinema in Paducah screened "Harlan County USA," followed by a conversation with Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom Deputy Managing Editor John Boyle and Operle.
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“Harlan County USA at 50” is a production from the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, a collaboration between West Virginia Public Broadcasting, WPLN and WUOT in Tennessee, LPM, WEKU, WKMS and WKU Public Radio in Kentucky, and NPR. Sign up for the weekly Porch Light newsletter here for news from around the region.