Trouble in the Water: Environmental History and Racism in Danville

History

Leahey, Kate

Egge, Sara (Mentor)

English

Intrigued by the contamination surrounding Danville’s past landfill locations, I explored the environmental history of Clark’s Run and surrounding neighborhoods, engaging with themes of environmental racism and memory-building. Clark’s Run creek was a major water source for Danville’s early residents. Today, Clark’s Run remains a central point in the community: it’s where children cool off in the summer, school groups conduct research, and local organizations host trash clean-ups. However, the creek’s history also includes incidents of contamination from landfills and industrial waste from nearby factories. Because of the creek’s proximity to predominantly African-American neighborhoods, the environmental hazards became human health hazards that disproportionately affected this group of Danville residents. Using newspaper articles, interviews, and local educational organizations as sources, I discovered connections between environmental burdens, race, and Danville's racial history.