One chilly October morning in Knoxville, Tennessee, a strange sound floated across the Gay Street viaduct. Alongside the rumblings of cars and the shakings of trains, it could clearly be heard: two violins, faint but strong, to the tune of the University of Tennessee football team’s fight song, “Rocky Top.” […]
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Commentary: Critics Love the Book, Hate the Movie. What Gives with ‘Hillbilly Elegy’?
Film critics have had nary a good word to say about Netflix’s new movie “Hillbilly Elegy.” Reviewers varyingly called it “Oscar-Season B.S.,” “woefully misguided,” “Yokel Hokum,” “laughably bad” and simply “awful.” I admit to delight when I read professional critics trashing the film, which is based on J.D. Vance’s widely […]
Read MoreCommentary: Celebrating Hanukkah in the Age of COVID-19
As Jewish holidays go, Hanukkah is not such a tough one to adapt for pandemic life. This year, the holiday starts on December 10th at sundown and continues for eight nights. Though definitely a favorite among the kids, Hanukkah is only a minor religious holiday in the Jewish faith, and it is […]
Read MoreQ&A: The Podcast Challenging What You Think You Know about Black Communities in Appalachia
Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin, a researcher, lecturer and cultural worker at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and William Isom, director of the Black in Appalachia project at East Tennessee PBS, were searching for the project to collaborate on that would help share their passion and research on the Black Appalachian experience. […]
Read MoreKeeney Explores Personal, Union History in ‘The Road to Blair Mountain’
In 1921, Blair Mountain in southern West Virginia was the site of the country’s bloodiest armed insurrection since the Civil War, a battle pitting miners led by Frank Keeney against agents of the coal barons intent on quashing organized labor. It was the largest labor uprising in U.S. history. Ninety […]
Read MoreA W.Va. Family Cultivates Tradition With A Nearly-forgotten Tomato
When Mary Lou Estler married her late husband Bob in 1960, it wasn’t long before she was introduced to a priceless family heirloom — an heirloom tomato. “They had beautiful dinners,” Mary Lou said. “And Mrs. Estler owned a Blenko piece of glass. All the way around would be these […]
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