Film Showing: "King Coal"

On Thursday, January 8, at 7PM, in 104 Kirby Hall of Civil Rights, the Village on College Hill is proud to present the documentary "King Coal." The film will be introduced by David Sunderlin, John H. Markle Professor of Geology at Lafayette College. Professor Sunderlin will ljoin the optional discussion after the movie. "In her personal documentary “King Coal,” the director Elaine McMillion Sheldon records the modern traditions — beauty pageants, local football games and modest festivals — that commemorate the once dominant natural resource that powered central Appalachia. Through archival footage and vivid narration, Sheldon notes how the discovery of the precious black rock led to an economic boom that inspired a vibrant middle class in the 20th century, born from labor struggle. She also observes how the poisonous fossil fuel destroys the environment. The film is both a cumulative eulogy for a way of life and an examination of the climate crisis through witnessing the charred remains of these rural landscapes." Robert Daniels, "New York Times." The film will be shown with open captions.