A regional observance of Anthracite Mining Heritage Month will take place during January 2022.  A variety of programs will be featured in various cities: Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton, Plymouth, Nanticoke, Pittston, Lansford, and Port Griffith.  

The annual event focuses on the history and culture of the anthracite region of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The public is cordially invited to attend all events, which are open free of charge except for the Knox Mine Disaster documentary on January 21^st and the Msgr. John J. Curran play on January 30^th, which requires advance purchase tickets.

Schedule of Events

-- Throughout January 2022, WVIA—Public Radio & Television in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania—will offer a series of programs:

     -- Chris Zellers of WVIA has initiated a special website link (www.via.org/mining) containing information about the WVIA’s mining-related programming

     -- WVIA’s historical documentary, The Knox Mine Disaster, written and narrated by Erika Funke in 1984, will be available for viewing at www.wvia.org/mining

     -- Erika Funke will post information about anthracite-related interviews and other features on ArtScene and Keystone Edition at WVIA FM (89.9)

 -- Thursday, Jan. 13: Nanticoke Historical Society, Public Program: Mining Anthracite—Memories and Commentaries from Those Who Did, and Those Who Are Doing; Speakers: Phil Voystock, Freeland; Tom Supey, West Pittston; Chester Zaremba, Nanticoke; Chris Murley, Scranton; Banks Ries, Tunkhannock; Venue: St. Faustina Cultural Center (38 W. Church St., Nanticoke, PA 18634); Time: 6:30 – 8 pm; Moderator: Chester Zaremba, NHS; Plus: A mining memorabilia display by Mike and Linda Mostardi, Media, PA; Refreshments

-- Friday, Jan. 14: Wilkes-Barre Preservation Society, Public Event: A Guided Tour of the Luzerne County Court House; Tour Leader: Tony Brooks, Director, WBPS; Venue: The Luzerne County Court House; Time: 1 – 2 pm; Please register at 570-793-3631 or at tony@wbpreservation.org;  Meet: Inside the Court House

-- Saturday, Jan. 15: No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum, Public Event: A Guided Tour of the Historic No. 9 Coal Mine; Tour Leader: Zach Petroski, President of the No. 9; Venue: The Mine and Museum (9 Dock St., Lansford, PA 18232); Time: 2 – 3:30 pm; Refreshments

-- Saturday Jan. 15: Plymouth Historical Society, Public Program: The Avondale Disaster of 1869; Speaker: Eric Bella, mining engineer for Lehigh Engineering, Reading Anthracite Co.; Topic: “The Avondale Mine Disaster from a Mining Engineer’s Perspective: It Was an Accident!;” Venue: Plymouth Borough Municipal Building (162 West Shawnee Avenue, Plymouth); Time: 7 – 8:30 pm; Moderator: Steve Kondrad, President, PHS; Refreshments

-- Thursday, Jan. 20: The McGowan Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility, King’s College, (Bernard Prusak, Director), and the Anthracite Heritage Foundation, Public Program: The Annual Msgr. John J. Curran Lecture; Speaker: Dr. Philip Jenkins, Department of History, Baylor University; Topic: “A Heritage of Hatred: The Ku Klux Klan and the Far Right in the Anthracite Region, 1920-1945;” Venue: Burke Auditorium, McGowan Business School, King’s College (133 N. River Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711); Time: 7 – 8: 30 pm; Welcome: Fr. Thomas P. Looney, C.S.C, President, King’s College; Refreshment: start at 6:30 pm; LIVE STREAM: The presentation will also be live streamed; please register for the Zoom link at www.kings.edu/ethicscenter; NOTE: Please see the Lackawanna Historical Society’s theatrical performance about Msgr. Curran set for Jan. 30^th (below)

-- Friday, Jan. 21: A Screening of “The Knox Mine Disaster: A Documentary Film,” by David Brocca and Al Brocca; Venue: Burke Auditorium, McGowan Business School, King’s College (133 N. River Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711); Time: Doors open at 6:30 pm, film begins at 7 pm; Q&A: A 20-minute Q&A with film director David Brocca and Knox Disaster author Robert Wolensky will follow; Tickets: Are required and available at www.knoxminedisaster.com

-- Saturday Jan. 22: Anthracite Heritage Museum, Public Program: The Annual Knox Mine Disaster Commemoration; Speaker No. 1: Sue Hand, Anthracite region artist, Topic: Lackawanna Coal Breaker Communities: Faded Memories; Speaker No. 2: Teresa Bergman, Chair, Communication Department, University of the Pacific, Topic: “New Directions in Commemoration;” Comment: Jennifer Black, Misericordia University; Music by Don Shappelle and the Pickups; Venue: Anthracite Heritage Museum (22 Bald Mountain Rd., Scranton, PA 18504); Time: 2 - 3:30 pm; Moderator: Bode Morin, AHM; NOTE: Sue Hand’s Latest Art Exhibit, Regional Coal Breaker Communities: Faded Memories, will debut at the Museum at 1 pm; ALSO NOTE: The program will be live streamed on the Anthracite Heritage Museum Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/anthraciteheritagemuseum; Refreshments

-- Saturday Jan. 22: Susquehanna Brewing Company, Free Concert: An Evening of Anthracite Region Music; Performers: Lex Romaine, folk singer; Don Chappelle and the Pickups, folk group; Jimmy Watlich, accordionist, and Doug Smith, bass, musical variety; Venue: SBC (635 S. Main St., Pittston, PA 18640); Time: 7 – 9 pm; MC: Ed Philbin, railroader; NOTE: SBC beverages and food truck cuisine available for purchase

-- Sunday Jan 23: Anthracite Heritage Museum, UK Tour Informational Meeting: An Industrial History Tour of the United Kingdom, June 16 to June 27, 2022, sponsored by the Anthracite Heritage Museum; Tour Leaders: Bode Morin, Beth Landmesser, and Robert Wolensky; Travel Agent: Janet Redler Travel and Tourism, Shropshire, England, who will participate in the meeting; Time: 3 – 4 pm; Slots still available; Venue: Zoom, To Join the Meeting--https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81784489628?pwd=TktXSWw0L3ZYUGRWVVUvM3JoWk5lZz09

-- Sunday Jan. 23: Annual Knox Mine Disaster Memorial Mass, Venue: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (35 Williams St., Pittston, PA 18640); Time: 9 am

-- Sunday Jan.  23: Annual Knox Mine Disaster Public Commemoration: Venue: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Knox Marker in front of Baloga Funeral Home (1201 Main St., Pittston, PA 18640); Time: 10:30 am; Refreshments: provided by Baloga Funeral Home

-- Sunday Jan.  23: Annual Walk to the Knox Mine Disaster Site, Venue: Along the Susquehanna River in Port Griffith; Venue: Meet at the Baloga Funeral Home for a caravan to the parking lot one mile away; Time: 11:00 am; NOTE: Weather permitting

-- Tuesday, Jan 25: Luzerne County Historical Society, Public Program: Doing Anthracite Region Research: Some Available Resources; Speakers: John Fielding, Curator, Anthracite Heritage Museum; David Schappert, Director, Corgan Library, King’s College; Nicholas Zmijewski, Archivist, Industrial Archives Library, Bethlehem, PA; Mark Riccetti, Director of Operations and Museum Curator, LCHS; Venue: Zoom, To Join the Meeting--https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89366293824; Time: 7 – 8:30 pm; Moderator: Mark Riccetti, LCHS

-- Thursday Jan. 27:  THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL A FUTURE DATE.  Penn Anthracite Chapter-Society of Mining Engineers, and the Hazleton Historical Society, Public Program: The Lattimer Massacre of 1897—A 125^th Anniversary Commemoration: Speakers: Mike Korb, Penn Anthracite-SME (“The Historical Monument”), Robert Wolensky, King’s College (“The Ethnic Component of Lattimer”), Paul Shackel, University of Maryland (“Remembering Lattimer”); Lew Dryfoos III, One Group Risk Management (“The Dryfoos Photos from Lattimer”); Chuck Knisell, United Mine Workers of America (“Comment on Lattimer”); Venue: Hazle Twp. Municipal Building (101 W. 27^th Street, Hazle Twp. PA, 18202); Time: 6:30 – 8 pm; Moderator: Charles McElwee, Hazleton Historical Society Museum; Refreshments

-- Sunday Jan. 30: Lackawanna Historical Society: A Live Theatrical Performance, For the Least of Them, a play about the life of Msgr. John J. Curran (“The Mineworkers’ Priest”); Playwright: K.K. Gordon; Actor: Scott Rave; Director: Art Walsh; Venue: LHS (232 Monroe Ave., Scranton, PA 18510); Time: 2 – 3:30 pm; Tickets: The play will be presented to a limited live audience, and live-streamed through Electric City Television.  Seating is limited and tickets are $15 (or $10 for LHS Members); Refreshments: A wine and cheese reception will follow

The events are sponsored by the Anthracite Heritage Museum, the Anthracite Heritage Foundation, King’s College, the Lackawanna Historical Society, the Luzerne County Historical Society, the Plymouth Historical Society, the Nanticoke Historical Society, WVIA-Public Broadcasting, the Susquehanna Brewing Company, the Huber Breaker Preservation Society, the No. 9 Mine and Museum, Baloga Funeral Home, the National Museum of Industrial History, and the Knox Mine Disaster Memorial Committee.

Questions should be directed to Prof. Bob Wolensky, Anthracite Heritage Foundation & King’s College, 715-252-6742; email: rwolensk@gmail.com.

[Posted: December 28, 2021]

1/3/2022