Author: Laura Harbert Allen

James is one of the main characters of "O Pioneer!" "He has an ability to listen and really hear your words and then let those words reflect upon his understanding of his relationship with God and religion," filmmaker Clara Lehmann said. Photo: Provided

Meet the Filmmakers of ‘O, Pioneer!’, A Documentary Exploring Life in Appalachia During the Pandemic

We primeval forests felling,We the rivers stemming, vexing we, and piercing deep the mines within;We the surface broad surveying, we the virgin soil upheaving, Pioneers! O pioneers! – Stanza 7 from Pioneers! O Pioneers by Walt Whitman When we hear the word “pioneer” – especially in the Appalachian context – […]

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A member of the Abundant Life Church serves barbeque chicken to an attendee of the dip dinner. About a dozen churches and faith communities partnered with several community organizations to prepare food for the event. Photo: Laura Harbert Allen/100 Days in Appalachia

Food and Faith: Church Dinners Have Served as Places to Build Community for Generations

For years, Roberta Lee Levine has baked noodle kugel – a traditional Jewish egg noodle casserole made with apples, cinnamon, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and raisins. “I’ve made it for bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, weddings, ” she said.  “Everybody says I make the best.”  Saturday, Levine and her husband, Richard, […]

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A church cornerstone in Charleston, West Virginia. ME South churches are located through the central and southern Appalachian region. Photo: Laura Harbert Allen/100 Days in Appalachia

White Supremacy in White American Christianity, Explained

The phrase “White Christian Nationalism” may well be the religious term of 2022.  Since the House Subcommittee hearings on the January 6 Insurrection this summer, many Americans have seen photos and videos of Christian flags and crosses alongside banners supporting then-President Donald Trump.  Seeing the overt mingling of Christian symbols […]

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