Name: Blue-Collar Ancestry: Tracing Your Coal Miner Roots
Start: 2026-03-01T14:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-03-01T16:00:00-05:00
Location: Heinz History Center

Blue-Collar Ancestry: Tracing Your Coal Miner Roots

Take a deep dive into the lives of your coal miner ancestors.
In the second session of the History Center’s new genealogy series, explore the lives of Western Pennsylvania coal miners and discover the often-overlooked records that reveal their fascinating stories.
Perhaps more than any other industry, coal mining attracted waves of immigrants from across Europe. These workers joined African Americans and other Appalachian laborers in grueling work to power the country’s Industrial Revolution. These mining families built vibrant multicultural communities and left behind rich documentation of their lives.
Join professional genealogist Kate Townsend, CG® to uncover research strategies and materials unique to the coal industry, including union records, company newsletters, newspaper clippings, mining accident reports, maps, historic photographs, and more.
Track your ancestors across coal patch towns and communities throughout Western Pennsylvania while exploring connections to mining disasters and their lasting impact on families.
Local archivists will also share lightning talks highlighting lesser-known coal industry resources within their collections.
Reserve tickets: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/event/blue-collar-ancestry-tracing-your-coal-miner-roots/
Admission
Tickets are $10 for non-members and $5 for members. This is a hybrid program. Attendees can participate either online or in-person at the Heinz History Center.
Live captioning will be provided for this event. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be available upon request. Please contact us at [email protected] in advance to request accommodations.
About the Series
Blue-Collar Ancestry is a new genealogy series presented by the Detre Library & Archives at the Heinz History Center. Each installment will explore a specific industry, with a focus on locating key genealogical records to illuminate the working lives of your ancestors.