William Turner’s “Harlan Renaissance” shows how Black Appalachians built sustaining communities in the midst of racism and discrimination. One of the oldest and most enduring myths about the Appalachian Mountains is that they are now and always have been overwhelmingly populated by white Scots-Irish. Dr. William H. Turner has written a […]
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New Film ‘Holler’ Sheds Light on Struggles of Being Young in Appalachia
This article was originally published by The Ohio Valley ReSource. When Nicole Riegel left her hometown of Jackson, Ohio, at the age of 18, she couldn’t wait to be gone. Last year, Riegel returned to Jackson with a film crew in tow. The town was tapped for a starring role […]
Read MoreCommentary: Poetry Gives Words to the Language of Survival for Appalachians
I live in Birmingham, Alabama, in the shadow of Red Mountain. As far as mountains go, it’s a bump on the landscape. From my front door, it would take maybe an hour and a half to walk up and over it completely. And yet, that mountain represents the lifeblood of […]
Read MoreHow a Common Phrase Became a Life Lesson: A Young Appalachian on ‘Getting Above Your Raising’
It took moving out of Appalachia to truly appreciate the richness of the culture I was raised in. I moved from my hometown of Pikeville, Kentucky, to attend the University of Louisville and study Political Science in 2018. I didn’t know then that other people weren’t privy to the same […]
Read More‘An Ordinary Age’: A Q&A with Author Rainesford Stauffer on New Book and Young Adulthood
For today’s young people, many of the large milestones society considers signs of a healthy adulthood are happening later, including moving out of their parents’ homes, marrying, having kids and leaving college. In “An Ordinary Age: Finding Your Way in a World That Expects Exceptional,” Appalachian author Rainesford Stauffer suggests […]
Read MoreEssential Appalachia: When a Pandemic Changes Everything, This Is What We Hold Dear
Most days since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Alexis Batausa has laced up his running shoes and headed for the hills. If the fear and isolation took a toll on his mind and spirit, he was determined not to let it do the same to his body. In April, Batausa lost […]
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