Press Release

The Appalachian Freedom Heritage Tourism Initiative seeks to increase tourism and enhance economies through collaboration of Underground Railroad cultural assets for coal-impacted communities in the tri-state region.

Lawrence County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation has been awarded $1.5 million by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to increase tourism and enhance economies through creation of a regional collaboration of Underground Railroad cultural assets for coal-impacted communities with nearly 20 partners in 9 counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio. Partners include Shawnee State University, The Macedonia Project, Marshall University Research Corporation, Marshall University, Ohio University Southern, Boyd Greenup County Branch of NAACP, Greenup County Tourism Commission, ECDI, Inc., C.B. Nuckolls Community Center & Black History Museum, Brown County Tourism, Huntington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, SSU Center for Public History, Visit AKY, Boyd County Tourism, Gallia County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Adams County Travel & Visitors Bureau, Portsmouth & Scioto County Visitors Bureau, Greenup Arts, and Ripley Heritage.

This award is part of ARC’s POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative, which directs federal resources to economic diversification projects in Appalachian communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries.

“Our coal-impacted communities are a vital part of Appalachia’s 13 states and 423 counties—when our coal communities thrive, our entire region is uplifted,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “POWER projects will not only help struggling coal communities to once again compete in a global marketplace, but also expand support for the creation of new jobs through growing Appalachia’s economy.”