A new book tells the story of decades of chemical pollution in the east Alabama city of Anniston.
Written by University of Alabama researcher Ellen Griffith Spears, "Baptized in PCBs: Race, Pollution and Justice in an All-American Town" traces the history of the toxic chemical in the city.
The book details how the production of the chemical polychlorinated biphenyls led to Anniston being once listed among the most toxic towns in America.
A sprawling factory made the chemical in Anniston for generations, and the resulting pollution resulted in a multimillion dollar legal settlement. The city's black community was particularly affected by contamination.
The book was released this month and published by the University of North Carolina Press. The author is an assistant professor in Tuscaloosa.
