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 on 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
- Vogelsong, Virginia Will Begin Monitoring Air Pollution around Hampton Roads Coal Terminals: Residents of Newport News’ East End Say There’s Been Too Many Studies and Too Little Action, Virginia Mercury, April 19, 2022
- 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 2023–2025
All interviews below collected by Adrian Wood with the Repair Lab.
- Faith Harris Audio | Transcript
- Studio interview with co-founder of the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice and leader of Virginia Interfaith Power and Light.
- Renee Hoyos Audio | Transcript
- Phone interview with former director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Environmental Justice department (now defunct).
- Lathaniel Kirts, Billy Mercury, and Malcolm Jones Audio | Transcript
- 3-way studio interview with Lathaniel and Malcolm, 2 practitioners-in-residence with the Repair Lab, and their lifelong friend Billy Mercury about growing up in Park Place adjacent to the Lambert's Point Norfolk Southern coal terminal and seeing gentrification unfold.
- Yugonda Sample-Jones (1 of 3), June 30, 2023 Audio | Transcript
- Walking interview with East End Newport News resident and leader of EmPower All about the Choice Neighborhood Initiative development project and the effects of coal dust on new and existing residents.
- Yugonda Sample-Jones (2 of 3), February 27, 2024 Audio | Transcript
- Driving tour exploring Dominion Terminal and the whole Choice Neighborhood Initiative redevelopment in East End Newport News.
- Uneita Scott, April 20, 2024 Audio | Transcript
- News interview with former East End Newport News resident whose sister had a lung amputated at 14 years old due to diagnosed miner's lung from living adjacent to Dominion Terminal in the 1970s-80s.
- Mr. Smiley, June 30, 2023 Audio | Transcript
- Short interview with East End Newport News shop owner whose business is adjacent to Dominion Terminal.
- Patricia Taylor, November 25, 2024 Audio | Transcript
- Porch interview with East End Newport News neighborhood matriarch about what it takes to make systemic change.
- Lawrence Turner, July 7, 2023 Audio | Transcript
- One-on-one interview with East End Newport News resident and football coach about memories of growing up in Harbor Homes and what he'd like to see different in the neighborhood now.
- Frankie Williams, February 27, 2024 Audio | Transcript
- Short street interview with East End Newport News resident about the coal dust and its effects.
- Anonymous 2, April 20, 2024 Audio | Transcript
- Conversation with a couple who regret buying their house in East End Newport News due to the coal dust.
- Anonymous, April 20, 2024 Audio | Transcript
- One-on-one interview with East End Newport News resident about his experiences growing up in Southwest Virginia, his memories of community defense against polluters there, and comparisons to the present in Newport News.