PD News

Susan Gilroy-King has many titles: student, writer, professor. But the one she prefers is historian.

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Historian Susan Gilroy-King, pictured at the historical marker for the Knox Mine Disaster, is seeking people willing to share their personal stories about the event.

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Gilroy-King, 27, is a West Wyoming native who graduated from Wyoming Area with honors in 2000, earned a bachelor’s degree in history with honors from Wilkes University, is in her final year pursuing a master’s degree in history from the University of Scranton, and is also completing an associate’s degree in journalism from Luzerne County Community College, which she will receive at the May graduation.

She also teaches history at LCCC and is president of the student chapter of the National Organization for Women.

In addition, she is employed as a freelance writer and researcher.

Gilroy-King is currently working on an anthology of personal stories about the Knox Mine Disaster of 1959. “I’m looking for individuals who have vivid memories of the Knox Mine Disaster,” she said. “Men who were there, women who were afraid for their husbands, news reporters or photographers who documented the event, kids or grandkids who have thorough, accurate memories of what their parents or grandparents told them.”

She also seeks, “any local historians, biographers, etc. who have used the Knox Mine Disaster as material for research or presentation and are willing to discuss and/or share.”

She said she would like to sit down with people for at least an hour, tape recording and talking with them about their stories.

Anyone interested may contact Gilroy-King by phone at 570-814-5648 or via email at sgilroyking@yahoo.com

Gilroy-King lives in Ashley with, as she says, “my husband and three dogs.”