Interviews and oral histories

Residents have deep expertise on the impacts of coal dust pollution in Southeast Newport News and Lambert's Point, organizing in resistance, and priorities around solutions and visions for the future. Several themes emerge in these interviews and oral histories, including life in the now-demolished Harbor Homes public housing complex, effects of coal dust on property, home value, and household finances, and the prevalence of health impacts to residents, especially respiratory illness.

Documents

Interviews in news media with residents' discussing coal dust impacts

• Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, Daily Press, December 18, 1956
• Dust Covered Apartments (Continued from Page 1), Daily Press, May 5, 1984
• Janney, Study Aims to Test Effects of Coal Dust, but Residents are Skeptical Change Will Come, The Virginian Pilot, November 3, 2023
• Hollingsworth, Newport News Residents Voice Concerns about Coal Pollution, 3WTKR, January 23, 2024
• Saitta, Newport News Residents Say Coal Dust is the Source of Some Health Problems, WTKR, April 20, 2024

Interviews collected between 2023–2025 by the Adrian Wood with the Repair Lab

• Faith Harris Audio | Transcript
• Renee Hoyos Audio | Transcript
• Lathaniel Kirts, Billy Mercury, and Malcolm Jones Audio | Transcript
• Yugonda Sample-Jones, June 30, 2023 Audio | Transcript
• Yugonda Sample-Jones, February 27, 2024 Audio | Transcript
• Uneita Scott Audio | Transcript
• Mr. Smiley Audio | Transcript
• Patricia Taylor, November 25, 2024 Audio | Transcript
• Lawrence Turner Audio | Transcript
• Frankie Williams Audio | Transcript
• Anonymous Audio | Transcript
• Anonymous Audio | Transcript