gallery view

Mayfield, Kentucky 2021 Tornado Oral History Project

Project Summary

This two-part oral history project was conducted with residents of Mayfield, KY in the aftermath of the catastrophic December 10, 2021 tornado. On that evening, into the next morning, a high EF-4 tornado directly hit the historic downtown center of Mayfield, KY. Of the 74 people who lost their lives in Kentucky that evening, 24 resided in Graves County, where Mayfield is located. Twenty-two residents shared their stories near the six-month mark after the disaster. Eighteen residents who participated in the original interviews agreed to follow-up interviews approximately a year later. The project serves not only to capture the riveting stories of survival and resilience, but also to serve as a memorial to the loss of life and many of the historic buildings of downtown Mayfield, including their beloved courthouse, other government buildings, eight historic churches (including two historic black churches built shortly after the Civil War), and other buildings that once served as the bustling center of industry in their community. Mayfield, KY is the county seat of Graves County and the center of the Jackson Purchase.

Project Code

may

Project Keyword

Natural Disaster   EF-4 Tornado   High Wind Event   Jackson Purchase   Graves County, Kentucky   Mayfield, Kentucky   Resilience   Survival   Loss of life   Rebuilding   Destruction   Community


Interviews in this Project (40 Total):

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1441_may0001
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1442_may0002
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1443_may0003
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1444_may0004
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1445_may0005
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1446_may0006
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1447_may0007
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1448_may0008
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1449_may0009
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1450_may0010
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1451_may0011
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1452_may0012
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1453_may0013
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1454_may0014
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1455_may0015
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1456_may0016
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1457_may0017
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1458_may0018
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1489_may0019
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1490_may0020
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1491_may0021
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2022oh1492_may0022
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0258_may0023
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0259_may0024
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0260_may0025
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0261_may0026
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0262_may0027
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0263_may0028
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0264_may0029
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0265_may0030
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0266_may0031
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0267_may0032
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0285_may0033
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0286_may0034
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0287_may0035
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0288_may0036
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0289_may0037
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0290_may0038
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0358_may0039
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access:

Interview Accession Number: 2023oh0359_may0040
Interviewer: Rebecca Michelle Freihaut
Restrictions: No Restrictions
Access: