When he watched mountaintop removal mining raze the mountain all around his home and family’s land on Kayford Mountain in West Virginia, Larry Gibson became one of first in the country to speak out against this extreme and egregiously irresponsible mining practice.

His courage to stand up and speak out against mountaintop removal mining inspired and gave voice to countless other Americans who live with the injustices of environmental pollution and destruction. Standing at just above five feet tall, Larry’s leadership in the movement to bring justice to Appalachia was larger than life. Larry Gibson passed away on September 9, 2012, while at his beloved Kayford Mountain.