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Reformers to Radicals: The Appalachian Volunteers and the War on Poverty
The Appalachian Volunteers formed in the early 1960s, determined to eliminate poverty through education and vocational training and to improve schools and homes in the mountainous regions of the south-eastern United States. This book illustrates how the activists ultimately failed, mainly because they were indecisive about the fundamental nature of their mission. The AVs, many of them college students, were also distracted by causes such as civil rights and opposition to the Vietnam War. Despite some progress, the organization finally lost the support of the national government and, more important, of many Appalachian people, setbacks from which it never recovered.
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A Concise History of Kentucky
To most people, the word “Kentucky” is likely to inspire thoughts of Derby Day, burley tobacco fields, feuding Appalachian families, coal mines, and Colonel Sanders' famous fried chicken. There is much more, however, to the Bluegrass State's rich but often unexplored history than mint juleps and the Hatfields and McCoys. This book introduces a captivating story that spans 12,000 years of Kentucky lives, from Native Americans to astronauts. All facets of Kentucky history are explored—geography, government, social structure, culture, education, and the economy—recounting unique historic events such as the deadly frontier wars, the assassination of a governor, and the birth ...Read More
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Contested Borderland: The Civil War in Appalachian Kentucky and Virginia
During the four years of the Civil War, the border between eastern Kentucky and southwestern Virginia was highly contested territory, alternately occupied by both the Confederacy and the Union. Though this territory was sparsely populated, the geography of the region made it a desirable stronghold for future tactical maneuvers. As the war progressed, the Cumberland Gap quickly became the target of invasion and occupation efforts of both armies, creating a chaos that would strain not only the soldiers but all those who called the area their home. This book examines the features of the region's geography and the influence of ...Read More
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The Roots of Appalachian Christianity: The Life and Legacy of Elder Shubal Stearns
Appalachia’s distinctive brand of Christianity has always been something of a puzzle to mainline American congregations. Often treated as pagan and unchurched, native Appalachian sects are labeled as ultraconservative, primitive, and fatalistic, and the actions of minority sub-groups such as “snake handlers” are associated with all worshippers in the region. Yet these churches that many regard as being outside the mainstream are living examples of America’s own religious heritage.
The emotional and experience-based religion that still thrives in Appalachia is very much at the heart of American worship. The lack of a recognizable “father figure” like Martin Luther, John Calvin, ...Read More
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Ecotourism in Appalachia: Marketing the Mountains
Tourism is the world’s largest industry, and ecotourism is rapidly emerging as its fastest growing segment. As interest in nature travel increases, so does concern for conservation of the environment and the well-being of local peoples and cultures. Appalachia seems an ideal destination for ecotourists, with its rugged mountains, uniquely diverse forests, wild rivers, and lively arts culture. And ecotourism promises much for the region: protecting the environment while bringing income to disadvantaged communities. But can these promises be kept? Ecotourism in Appalachia examines both the potential and the threats that tourism holds for Central Appalachia. The authors draw lessons ...Read More
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Mountain Sisters: From Convent to Community in Appalachia
Monica Appleby and Helen Lewis reveal the largely untold story of women who stood up to the Church and joined Appalachians in their struggle for social justice. Their poignant story of how faith, compassion, and persistence overcame obstacles to progress in Appalachia is a fascinating example of how a collaborative and creative learning community fosters strong voices. Mountain Sisters is a prophetic first-person account of the history of American Catholicism, the war on poverty, and the influence of the turbulent 1960s on the cultural and religious communities of Appalachia.
Founded in 1941, The Glenmary Sisters embraced a calling to serve ...Read More
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Buffalo Dance: The Journey of York
Winner of the 35th Annual Lillian Smith Book Award
This collection of persona poems tells the story of the infamous Lewis and Clark expedition from the point of view of Clark's personal slave, York. The poems form a narrative of York's inner and outer journey, before, during and after the expedition--a journey from slavery to freedom, from the plantation to the great northwest, from servant to soul yearning to be free. Over the course of the saga and through the poems, we are treated to subtle and overt commentaries on literacy, slavery, native Americans, buffalo, the environment, and more. Though ...Read More
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Weavers of the Southern Highlands
Weaving centers led the Appalachian Craft Revival at the beginning of the twentieth century. Soon after settlement workers came to the mountains to start schools, they expanded their focus by promoting weaving as a way for women to help their family’s financial situation. Women wove thousands of guest towels, baby blankets, and place mats that found a ready market in the women’s network of religious denominations, arts organizations, and civic clubs. In Weavers of the Southern Highlands , Philis Alvic details how the Fireside Industries of Berea College in Kentucky began with women weaving to supply their children’s school expenses ...Read More
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Listen Here: Women Writing in Appalachia
Listen Here: Women Writing in Appalachia is a landmark anthology that brings together the work of 105 Appalachian women writers, including Dorothy Allison, Harriette Simpson Arnow, Annie Dillard, Nikki Giovanni, Denise Giardina, Barbara Kingsolver, Jayne Anne Phillips, Janice Holt Giles, George Ella Lyon, Sharyn McCrumb, and Lee Smith. Editors Sandra L. Ballard and Patricia L. Hudson offer a diverse sampling of time periods and genres, established authors and emerging voices. From regional favorites to national bestsellers, this unprecedented gathering of Appalachian voices displays the remarkable talent of the region’s women writers who’ve made their mark at home and across the ...Read More
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Minstrel of the Appalachians: The Story of Bascom Lamar Lunsford
It is said that Bascom Lamar Lunsford would “cross hell on a rotten rail to get a folk song”—his Southern highlands folk-song compilations now constitute one of the largest collections of its kind in the Library of Congress—but he did much more than acquire songs. He preserved and promoted the Appalachian mountain tradition for generations of people, founding in 1928 the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival in Asheville, North Carolina, an annual event that has shaped America’s festival movement. Loyal Jones pens a lively biography of a man considered to be Appalachian music royalty. He also includes a “Lunsford Sampler” ...Read More
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