Salvaging appalachian photo collections [this project will treat and digitize three major appalachian photonegative collections that were damaged by catastrophic flooding in july 2022

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awarded a $451,162 Project Grant under the Promotion of the Humanities Division of Preservation and Access program (CFDA 45.149) to Appalshop Inc., a non-profit media and arts organization in Whitesburg, Kentucky. The grant will fund the treatment and digitization of three major Appalachian photonegative collections that were damaged by flooding in July 2022. The project will preserve and provide access to images documenting Eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia residents during 1935-1955, the historic 1973-1974 Harlan County coal strike, and the media arts center Appalshop in the early 1990s. This project aims to salvage and make accessible these significant cultural heritage materials related to Appalachian history and communities.

The collections to be saved include images documenting: eastern KY and southwest VA residents during 1935-55, brookside coal camp residents during the historic 1973-1974 harlan county coal strike, and the media arts center appalshop in the early 1990S, as recorded by noted tennessee-born photographer jeff whetstone when he interned at the organization.]