Overview

Freedom with Chains: A history of McDowell County, West Virginia takes readers on a powerful journey through the rise and struggles of one of Appalachia's most storied regions. Once celebrated as a land of opportunity, McDowell County became a place where prosperity and hardship lived side by side. With the discovery of rich coal seams, the county thrived- drawing families from across the nation in search of honest work and a better life. But with that promise came deep-rooted challenges: labor disputes, racial divisions, economic exploitations and the heavy cost of progress. In this concise yet compelling history, Marcus L. Wilkes paints a vivid portrait of the people of McDowell County- miners and their families, community leaders and everyday men and women whose resilience defined the region. Through their stories, he explores how the chains of poverty, inequality and broken promises tempered the freedom that coal once seemed to offer. More than a history, Freedom with Chains is both a remembrance and a reflection- a reminder of the struggles that shaped a community and the enduring spirit pf those who refused to be broken.

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Marcus Wilkes, a lifelong resident of Southern West Virginia, was born and raised in Beckley, West Virginia. He first came to McDowell County in 1991 as a WVU Extension Educator and moved to the county permanently in 1999. The son of a coal miner and a McDowell County native, he grew up in a segregated community and witnessed the transition to integration in 1967. Wilkes earned degrees in Public Service Administration, Education and additional graduate studies, and has dedicated over 40 years to nonprofit and community service. His career includes work as an educator, advocate for individuals with disabilities, HUD-certifies\d housing counselor, and VISTA volunteer, He also served two terms as the first African American Mayor of Northfork, West Virginia, and continues to represent his community through leadership roles across the state. He is married to Vanessa White Wilkes.

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