The Coal Black Voices Web-Based Study Guide is a free teaching curriculum to help learning communities explore, understand, and honor contemporary African American culture and celebrate regional expressions of the African Diaspora through the works of the Affrilachian Poets.

A term coined by Frank Walker in his poem "Affrilachia" to describe people of color living in the Appalachian region, "Affrilachian" became the name of a group of like minded poets who came together for mutual support and encouragement. As Walker explains, "One of the things I've encountered traveling outside of Kentucky is having to defend the fact that people of color actually live here... I'm trying to say, not only are we here, we're here in a very large way, we're part of Kentucky's history, we're part of the landscape..."

This is a free study guide supported by public and private funds. If you would like to support the ongoing life of this web site by purchasing the documentary and related books from the Media Working Group Store or by making a tax deductible cash contribution .

This web site was made possible with the support of the following: The Ohio Humanities Council, Ohio Arts Council, Kentucky Arts Council, Community Arts Fund, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Cincinnati Public Schools' Office of Curriculum Development and Media Working Group.

The documentary Coal Black Voices was originally funded by the Kentucky Educational Television's Independent Fund, Ohio Arts Council, The Wexner Center Media Arts Center Program, The Ohio State University, ( www.wexarts.org ) Ohio Humanities Council and Media Working Group.