LISTEN: WKMS produced an hour-long radio special to commemorate 50 years of 'Harlan County: U.S.A'

Image courtesy of WKMS

It has been 50 years since the premiere of the Academy Award-winning documentary, "Harlan County: U.S.A," and to mark the occasion, WKMS in western Kentucky produced an hour-long radio piece about the anniversary. The piece was made in partnership with the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom out of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. 

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." He interviewed many people involved in the making of the documentary, including director Barbara Kopple, and some of the miners and their families. He also talked with others who spoke about the impact the film has had since its release.

The documentary "shined a light on an eastern Kentucky coal mining community and their fight for a union contract," reports WKMS.