The Black Diamond Eisteddfod
Welsh mining communities bring a tradition of choral excellence and literary competition to the Washington coal fields.
The Welsh national Eisteddfod was celebrated at Black Diamond on Christmas day. The entertainment was a successful one in every respect, the hall being crowded to its fullest capacity during the two sessions. The main competition of the afternoon session was between the two choirs, that of Franklin consisting of twenty-six voices and the Black Diamond choir of seventeen voices. The song chosen was a Gospel hymn, 'Hallelujah for the Cross.' The decision of the adjudicator was that the Black Diamond choir had the better quality of voices, their intonation was by far better and also had their duet much better and seemed to get into the spirit of the song better.
“Both choirs seemed determined and the contest was very keen.”
The Eisteddfod was a cornerstone of Welsh immigrant identity, celebrating language and culture in the rugged environment of Western Washington's coal towns. These contests were more than just talent shows; they were vital mechanisms for community cohesion in isolated, company-owned towns like Black Diamond and Franklin.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.