Earl Dotter
After World War II ended Russell Lee aimed his lens at U.S. coal minersat work, at home with family, and in leisure pursuits. American Coal offers an unflinching portrait of an industry that operated far from view, a closed society of company-owned mines and stores, of often segregated towns and housing. Lee’s warm, personal images struck a deep chord, propelling a remarkable healthcare and pension movement for coal miners that continues to this day. American Coal provides a new generation with the opportunity to witness Russell Lee’s accomplishment, each photograph beautifully presented with its original caption.
James R. Swensen
Russell Lee is one of the most important photographers that few know today. American Coal provides a compelling argument for why this should change. Appel and Brinkley’s remarkable text and curation not only bring Lee’s insightful 1946 investigation of America’s coal mines vividly to life, but they also remind readers that this photographer continues to have something to say about labor and persistence.
Cara A. Finnegan
In this skillfully curated and thoughtfully documented collection, Appel and Brinkley show how Russell Lee brought his understanding of the intersections of labor, health, and community to bear on his visual record of postwar coal country. American Coal vividly illustrates how Lee's photography centered the daily lives of workers with respect, nuance, and penetrating insight. The book not only stands as a valuable contribution to our understanding of midcentury U.S. documentary, it also foregrounds an ethic of vision that we can continue to learn from today.