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Looking Back At 2024, Inside Appalachia

 
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Contenuto fornito da WVPB and Mason Adams. Tutti i contenuti dei podcast, inclusi episodi, grafica e descrizioni dei podcast, vengono caricati e forniti direttamente da WVPB and Mason Adams o dal partner della piattaforma podcast. Se ritieni che qualcuno stia utilizzando la tua opera protetta da copyright senza la tua autorizzazione, puoi seguire la procedura descritta qui https://it.player.fm/legal.

This week, a look back at some of the stories that shaped the show in 2024, like the story of an abandoned Fairmont Brine site in Marion County, West Virginia. It was a common hangout spot, but there’s a hidden danger.

Also, food deserts are places where it’s hard to find nutritious food. Like disenfranchised neighborhoods in East Knoxville, Tennessee.

And, not all bamboo is invasive. In fact, there’s a species native to Appalachia.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Radioactivity At Fairmont Brine

A chain link fence is shown. On the fence is a sign that reads, "Keep Out," and there's a biohazard symbol.
Fairmont Brine processed liquid used in hydraulic fracking. Now abandoned, the site became a local hang out, but it's dangerous.
Photo Credit: Justin Nobel

Starting in the late 2000s, fracking brought a natural gas boom to parts of Appalachia. But, the natural gas market has been erratic. And in some places, the oil and gas industry has left behind dangerous, radioactive sites. Justin Nobel is an investigative reporter who’s covered that issue.

In the fall of 2023, he wrote about it for Truthdig in a story titled “Inside West Virginia’s Chernobyl: A highly radioactive oil and gas facility has become a party spot in Marion County.” Mason Adams spoke with Nobel.

Healing Damaged Communities Through Food

The outside of a restaurant. Close to the camera is a chain link fence. Beyond the fence, painted on the side of the restaurant, are the words, "Make Change through Food."
This collective kitchen is where Femeika Elliott first prepared meal kits to sell at the Knoxville Farmers Market.
Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Through the 20th century, lots of poor and largely Black neighborhoods were bulldozed and replaced with new highways and civic centers. Now some groups are looking at creative ways to repair those communities. In April, we featured a story about a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee. And a woman there who uses food as a way to heal generations of damage.

Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch had the story.

Appalachian Bamboo Bouncing Back

Small bags of bamboo saplings sit on the dirty bed of a truck.
Volunteers in southwestern Virginia are trying to revitalize river cane.
Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ

There are a lot of different kinds of bamboo – more than 1,400 varieties.

America has a native species of bamboo, but was nearly wiped out.

Last summer, Radio IQ’s Roxy Todd reported that a group of mostly volunteers is trying to restore the plant in southwestern Virginia.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Kaia Kater, Bob Thompson, Caleb Caudle, Noam Pikelny and Blue Dot Sessions.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Nicole Musgrave.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

  continue reading

107 episodi

Artwork
iconCondividi
 
Manage episode 457834431 series 2471658
Contenuto fornito da WVPB and Mason Adams. Tutti i contenuti dei podcast, inclusi episodi, grafica e descrizioni dei podcast, vengono caricati e forniti direttamente da WVPB and Mason Adams o dal partner della piattaforma podcast. Se ritieni che qualcuno stia utilizzando la tua opera protetta da copyright senza la tua autorizzazione, puoi seguire la procedura descritta qui https://it.player.fm/legal.

This week, a look back at some of the stories that shaped the show in 2024, like the story of an abandoned Fairmont Brine site in Marion County, West Virginia. It was a common hangout spot, but there’s a hidden danger.

Also, food deserts are places where it’s hard to find nutritious food. Like disenfranchised neighborhoods in East Knoxville, Tennessee.

And, not all bamboo is invasive. In fact, there’s a species native to Appalachia.

You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Radioactivity At Fairmont Brine

A chain link fence is shown. On the fence is a sign that reads, "Keep Out," and there's a biohazard symbol.
Fairmont Brine processed liquid used in hydraulic fracking. Now abandoned, the site became a local hang out, but it's dangerous.
Photo Credit: Justin Nobel

Starting in the late 2000s, fracking brought a natural gas boom to parts of Appalachia. But, the natural gas market has been erratic. And in some places, the oil and gas industry has left behind dangerous, radioactive sites. Justin Nobel is an investigative reporter who’s covered that issue.

In the fall of 2023, he wrote about it for Truthdig in a story titled “Inside West Virginia’s Chernobyl: A highly radioactive oil and gas facility has become a party spot in Marion County.” Mason Adams spoke with Nobel.

Healing Damaged Communities Through Food

The outside of a restaurant. Close to the camera is a chain link fence. Beyond the fence, painted on the side of the restaurant, are the words, "Make Change through Food."
This collective kitchen is where Femeika Elliott first prepared meal kits to sell at the Knoxville Farmers Market.
Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Through the 20th century, lots of poor and largely Black neighborhoods were bulldozed and replaced with new highways and civic centers. Now some groups are looking at creative ways to repair those communities. In April, we featured a story about a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee. And a woman there who uses food as a way to heal generations of damage.

Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch had the story.

Appalachian Bamboo Bouncing Back

Small bags of bamboo saplings sit on the dirty bed of a truck.
Volunteers in southwestern Virginia are trying to revitalize river cane.
Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ

There are a lot of different kinds of bamboo – more than 1,400 varieties.

America has a native species of bamboo, but was nearly wiped out.

Last summer, Radio IQ’s Roxy Todd reported that a group of mostly volunteers is trying to restore the plant in southwestern Virginia.

------

Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Kaia Kater, Bob Thompson, Caleb Caudle, Noam Pikelny and Blue Dot Sessions.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Nicole Musgrave.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

  continue reading

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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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This week, a talented, young folk singer looks for the balance between making music and making a living. Also, after six generations, keeping the family farm going can be rough. We hear the story of the Wakefield family in Pennsylvania, which has farmed for six generations. And the Hellbender Salamander is the largest amphibian in North America, but they’re picky about where they live, and their habitats are threatened. In This Episode Meeting An Appalachian Folksinger The Wakefields, A Documentary To Save The Hellbender Meeting An Appalachian Folksinger Young folksinger Elsa Howell is considering her path forward in music. Mason Adams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting Folk music is not the easiest way to make a living, but artists still find a way to balance making music with putting food on the table. Host Mason Adams traveled to MidMountain arts collective in Virginia, where he spoke with both veteran folksingers and emerging talents. The Wakefields, A Documentary Thad Wakefield stands in his family's field. The Wakefields have farmed for six generations, but it's becoming more difficult to continue. Courtesy photo Cade Miller was a student at the Penn State News lab, which works to address gaps in news coverage — including the plight of family farms. Miller spent months reporting on the Wakefields, a farming family for six generation. The family struggled to keep the business going in a minidocumentary called “The Wakefields –Two Brothers, Six Generations.” To Save The Hellbender An eastern hellbender at the National Zoo. Appalachia is home to a wide variety of critters, including the odd-looking salamander called the Hellbender. The species has been in decline. Late last year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the Eastern Hellbender Salamander as endangered. Than (as in Nathan) Hitt is a senior scientist with the West Virginia Rivers Coalition. WVPB’s Curtis Tate spoke with Hitt about the Hellbender’s habitat in Appalachia and why it’s threatened. ----- Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Elsa Howell, Black Twig Pickers, Anna and Elizabeth, Morgan Wade, Larry Rader, Steve Earle, Kaia Kater, Nirvana, Neko Case, Sonic Youth, and Blue Dot Sessions. Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff and Zander Aloi are our associate producers. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Chris Julin. You can find us on Instagram @InAppalachia . You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
This week, we’re revisiting our episode “What Is Appalachia?” from December 2021. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the Midwest, the Rust belt and even the Northeast. The Appalachian Regional Commission defined the boundaries for Appalachia in 1965 with the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commission, a part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. It was legislation that sought to expand social welfare, and some localities were eager for the money, while others resisted the designation. The boundaries and definition of Appalachia can now only be changed by an act of Congress. Politically, Appalachia encompasses 423 counties across 13 states — and West Virginia’s the only state entirely inside the region. That leaves so much room for geographic and cultural variation, as well as many different views on what Appalachia really is. For Inside Appalachia , we turned our entire episode over to the question, “What is Appalachia?” With stories from Mississippi to Pittsburgh, we asked people across our region whether they consider themselves to be Appalachian. A 1996 map that shows the southern part of Appalachia, as defined by John Alexander Williams. Mississippi Bob Owens — locally known as ‘Pop Owens,' stands in front of his watermelon stand outside New Houlka, Mississippi. Pop says he was aware that Mississippi is part of Appalachia, but that no one in the state would consider themselves Appalachian. Credit: Caitlin Tan/West Virginia Public Broadcasting Bob Owens is a watermelon farmer outside New Houlka, in the northeastern part of Mississippi. Owens said he was aware that Mississippi is part of Appalachia, but that no one in the state would consider themselves Appalachian. “I consider myself the worst redneck you’ve ever seen,” Owens said. “I live in the area of the Appalachian mountain range — not part of it, but close to it. So I guess you call me a redneck Appalachian.” This is the general consensus among the people in Mississippi we spoke to. Geographically, the foothills of the Appalachian mountain range are located in northern Mississippi. The state’s tallest point is Woodall Mountain, 806 feet in elevation. For reference, the highest point in North Carolina, Mount Mitchell, is more than 6,600 feet in elevation, eight times higher than Woodall Mountain. Co-host Caitlin Tan spoke with Texas State University History professor Justin Randolph, who wrote an essay for “Southern Cultures” called “The Making of Appalachian Mississippi.” Randolph argues in his essay that Mississippi became part of Appalachia for political and racial reasons, as well as economic advantages the designation brought to the 24 counties in Mississippi that were included in the ARC’s boundaries. Shenandoah Valley In the 1960s, while some localities were clamoring to get into Appalachia, on the eastern edge of the region, some lawmakers fought to keep their counties outside the boundaries, including politicians in Roanoke, Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Appalachian Studies associate professor Emily Satterwhite said explaining to her students why some counties in Virginia are included in Appalachia, but others aren’t, is confusing. “ The students in front of me are wondering why they're not included,” White said. Pittsburgh The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania skyline. Courtesy Appalachia’s largest city is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When we asked people from that city to tell us if they consider it a part of Appalachia, about half said no. “I definitely do not feel that I am Appalachian culturally,” said Mark Jovanovich, who grew up just outside Pittsburgh’s city limits in the Woodland Hills area. “Personally, I would consider the city of Pittsburgh is sort of like a mini New York City. I guess we'd probably be lumped in as like a Rust Belt city, which makes enough sense, but definitely not Appalachian culturally.” Writer Brian O’Neill disagrees. He wrote a book called The Paris of Appalachia: Pittsburgh in the Twenty-First Century . “My original title for the book was ‘I love Pittsburgh like a brother and my brother drives me nuts.’” An editor advised him to change the title of his book to a phrase that he said is sometimes used to refer to Pittsburgh derisively. “I couldn't figure out why that should be a putdown, because Paris is nice. And Appalachia is a beautiful part of the world. And if we were called the Paris of the Rockies, we wouldn't run from that. So why would we run from this? Why don't we embrace it? So that became the title of my book.” He said that geographically, Pittsburgh is clearly in the Appalachian Mountains. “I mean, this is one mountain range that stretches from Georgia to Maine. And the idea that it belongs only to the southern part of the mountain range defies logic to me,” O’Neill said. What Do You Think? How about you? Do you call yourself an Appalachian? Why or why not? Send us an email to InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert . Other music this week was provided by John Wyatt, John R Miller, Alan Cathead Johnston, and Dinosaur Burps . Roxy Todd originally produced this episode. Bill Lynch is our current producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Alex Runyon was our associate producer on this original episode. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
This week, a look back at some of the stories that shaped the show in 2024, like the story of an abandoned Fairmont Brine site in Marion County, West Virginia. It was a common hangout spot, but there’s a hidden danger. Also, food deserts are places where it’s hard to find nutritious food. Like disenfranchised neighborhoods in East Knoxville, Tennessee. And, not all bamboo is invasive. In fact, there’s a species native to Appalachia. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . In This Episode: Radioactivity At Fairmont Brine Healing Damaged Communities Through Food Appalachian Bamboo Bouncing Back Radioactivity At Fairmont Brine Fairmont Brine processed liquid used in hydraulic fracking. Now abandoned, the site became a local hang out, but it's dangerous. Photo Credit: Justin Nobel Starting in the late 2000s, fracking brought a natural gas boom to parts of Appalachia. But, the natural gas market has been erratic. And in some places, the oil and gas industry has left behind dangerous, radioactive sites. Justin Nobel is an investigative reporter who’s covered that issue. In the fall of 2023, he wrote about it for Truthdig in a story titled “ Inside West Virginia’s Chernobyl: A highly radioactive oil and gas facility has become a party spot in Marion County .” Mason Adams spoke with Nobel. Healing Damaged Communities Through Food This collective kitchen is where Femeika Elliott first prepared meal kits to sell at the Knoxville Farmers Market. Photo Credit: Wendy Welch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting Through the 20th century, lots of poor and largely Black neighborhoods were bulldozed and replaced with new highways and civic centers. Now some groups are looking at creative ways to repair those communities. In April, we featured a story about a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee. And a woman there who uses food as a way to heal generations of damage. Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch had the story. Appalachian Bamboo Bouncing Back Volunteers in southwestern Virginia are trying to revitalize river cane. Photo Credit: Roxy Todd/Radio IQ There are a lot of different kinds of bamboo – more than 1,400 varieties. America has a native species of bamboo, but was nearly wiped out. Last summer, Radio IQ’s Roxy Todd reported that a group of mostly volunteers is trying to restore the plant in southwestern Virginia. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Kaia Kater, Bob Thompson, Caleb Caudle, Noam Pikelny and Blue Dot Sessions. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Nicole Musgrave. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
This week, we go a-wassailing in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s kind of like Christmas caroling, with a kick. Also, family recipes bring generations together. But what happens when you’ve got grandma’s potato candy recipe, and it doesn’t have exact measurements? And a new book explores the magical dark side of nature. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . In This Episode: Here We Go A-Wassailing Grandma’s Potato Candy Adventures Among Glow Worms And Fireflies Communion Wafers And Apple Butter Inspire Chefs’ Work At Lost Creek Farm Here We Go A-Wassailing Wassailers sing outside a home in Asheville, North Carolina. Traditionally, wassailers not only sang for their neighbors, but also sang in apple orchards to ensure a good harvest for the coming year. Photo Credit: Rebecca Williams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting The winter holidays are a chance to get together and find some good cheer. In Asheville, North Carolina, a group of friends has been taking part in the English singing tradition of wassailing. It’s like Christmas caroling, but older. And for some of the singers, wassailing has become a way to connect to their roots. In 2023, Folkways Reporter Rebecca Williams had this story. Grandma’s Potato Candy Brenda Sandoval testing the consistency of the potato mixture. Photo Credit: Capri Cafaro/West Virginia Public Broadcasting A lot of families have tried and true holiday recipes. Often, these treasured family recipes get passed down and are a way to connect with the past. But not all of them use exact measurements. So how do you know you’re getting the mix right, especially if you’ve never tried it? In 2023, Capri Cafaro brought us a story about Brenda Sandoval’s attempt to recreate her grandmother’s potato candy. Adventures Among Glow Worms And Fireflies Leigh Ann Henion's "Night Magic" explores the surprises of the nighttime world. Courtesy Photo Leigh Ann Henion is an author from Boone, North Carolina. Her new book is about what happens after the sun goes down. It’s called, Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens and Other Marvels of the Dark . Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Henion about staying up late and not so late to see wonders. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by The Sycomores, Bob Thompson, the Cappella Bell Choir and Bela Fleck and the flecktones. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Nicole Musgrave. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
This week, the online world of Appalachian memes — and what they tell us about folks who live here. Also, parts of West Virginia have been radio silent since the 1950s for scientists to monitor the skies. So, what does that mean for first responders in an emergency? And winter holidays are here. We’ve got some tips to keep the festivities from going up in smoke. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . In This Episode: Memes Carry On Appalachian Humor Radio Quiet Zone Presents Trouble For Emergency Responders Remembering Poet Nikki Giovanni Avoiding Holiday Fire Hazards Appalachian Memes Mine The Laughs Andi Marie Tillman as “Papaw” showing off some of Little Bubby Child’s merch; a shirt that says, “Meemaw Tried.” Photo courtesy of Little Bubby Child Humor runs deep here in Appalachia. Folkways Reporter Madeline Miller brought us a story about two artists who’ve taken holler humor to the digital realm. Andi Marie Tillman depicts her character Papaw on FaceTime. Photo courtesy Andi Marie Tillman Radio Quiet Zone Presents Trouble For Emergency Responders Since the 1950s, the federal government has designated parts of two West Virginia counties as a National Radio Quiet Zone. Because of research, television, radio and cell signals near the area are restricted. Ten Virginia and West Virginia counties are asking the government to change that for emergency responders. Radio IQ's Roxy Todd has this story. Remembering Poet Nikki Giovanni Poet Nikki Giovanni in 2015 at Shepherd University. Photo Credit: Shepherd University Distinguished poet, educator and long-time Virginia resident Nikki Giovanni died Nov. 9, 2024 at the age of 81. She was one of the most well-known and acclaimed poets in America and a voice for African Americans and Appalachians. We revisit Roxy Todd’s 2022 interview with Giovanni. Avoiding Holiday Fire Hazards Make sure smoke detectors are in working order during the holiday season. Photo Credit: Alexander Raths/Adobe Stock The holidays bring people together to celebrate. Which — when paired with cold winter weather — can create the potential for fires. Mark Lambert, the director of the West Virginia University (WVU) Fire Service Extension, spoke with WVPB’s Chris Schulz about fire safety. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Erik Vincent Huey, Charlie McCoy, Javon Jackson and Nikki Giovanni, John Inghram, Dinosaur Burps, June Carter Cash and Larry Rader. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Clara Haizlett. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram and Threads @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
Crossing a river by ferry can be a special experience, and hard to come by. On the Ohio River, a retiring ferry captain passes the torch to his deck hand. And Hurricane Helene destroyed roads and knocked out power and cell service across western North Carolina. But there was still a way to keep people in touch. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . In This Episode: Raising Up A New Riverboat Captain Blue Ridge Public Broadcasting Crucial During Flood Loose Cattle And Tammy Fay With Michael Cerveris Columbus Washboard Company Produces Instruments Aimed To Meet Musicians’ Needs Raising Up A New Riverboat Captain The Sistersville Ferry has been serving its Ohio River for over 200 years. Photo Credit: Zack Harold/West Virginia Public Broadcasting The town of Sistersville, West Virginia is home to the last ferry crossing in the Mountain State. The Sistersville Ferry has been serving this tiny Tyler County community for more than 200 years, and when it reopens next spring, there will be a new pilot at the helm. Reporter Zack Harold stopped by to witness the last ride of Captain Bo Hause. Blue Ridge Public Broadcasting Crucial During Flood Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene has devastated communities across western North Carolina and east Tennessee. Courtesy Photo If you’re in an area that’s struck by a disaster, how do you get information? Especially if power and cell service has been knocked out? You might have to use an old-fashioned technology — the radio. Portable radios work on batteries, and don’t depend on the internet or cell reception. When Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina, our partner station, Blue Ridge Public Radio, became a crucial source of information. A few weeks after the storm, Mason Adams spoke with BPR’s News Director, Laura Lee. Loose Cattle And Tammy Fay With Michael Cerveris Tony Award winning actor Michael Cerveris (center, in blue) stays busy. The former Huntington resident had a new show on Broadway and a new record with his Americana band, Loose Cattle. Photo Credit: King Edward Photography Tony Award-winning actor Michael Cerveris grew up in Huntington. Most recently, he was on stage in the musical “Tammy Fay,” which just left Broadway, but he’s better known for his starring roles in Sweeney Todd and the Broadway adaptation of The Who’s Tommy . He’s currently on HBO’s The Guilded Age , but his Americana band Loose Cattle has a new album. Back in October, Producer Bill Lynch spoke to Cerveris. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Sierra Ferrell, John Hartford, Tim Bing, Jeff Ellis and Loose Cattle. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Nicole Musgrave. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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Since 1967, Foxfire has been a storehouse of traditional Appalachian knowledge that still helps people today. It continues to preserve music and history, but part of Foxfire’s heritage has been recording the stories of Appalachian women. This week, Inside Appalachia explores Foxfire — its past, present and future. In This Episode: What Is Foxfire? The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women Oral History Tradition Continues Today What Is Foxfire? The Foxfire office in Rabun County, Georgia. Photo Credit: Lilly Knoepp Foxfire began in 1967 as a student-run magazine in North Georgia. It was a way for high school students to collect and share the wisdom and lore from their community members. They named it “Foxfire” after a fungus in the region that glows in the dark . Over 50 years, it’s grown into a book series, a magazine, a museum and an oral history archive. One of those oral histories is from 1975 and captures the kind of knowledge that Foxfire collected. An Appalachian Woman’s Place Often Went Beyond The Home Appalachian storyteller Elizabeth Ellis is featured in the Foxfire project with Blue Ridge Public Radio. Photo Credit: Lilly Knoepp A lot of the women in older archival Foxfire interviews said that they “didn’t work” but so many Appalachian women were midwives, mothers and business owners. Foxfire’s latest collection features 21 women in the book called, The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women , edited by then Foxfire education director and museum curator Kami Ahrens. Mason Adams has more. Oral History Tradition Continues Today In 2020, Blue Ridge Public Radio partnered with Ahrens to record oral histories and aired them on the radio. BPR’s Lilly Knoepp shared a few. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Sean Watkins, The Steel Woods, and Dr. Kathy Bullock and her class at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
The chef of an award-winning Asheville restaurant says he was shaped by memories of growing up in West Virginia. The Seeing Hand Association brings together people who are visually impaired to learn the craft of chair caning. And a West Virginia community grapples with its population of feral cats. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . In This Episode: Appalachian Memories Inspire Chef Mending With Seeing Hands A Cozy Cafe For Cats Appalachian Memories Inspire Chef Chef William Dissen at his home in Asheville, North Carolina. Photo Credit: Johnny Autry Chef William Dissen’s memories are seasoned with the flavors of West Virginia's mountains. He’s now taking some of those memories and turning them into award-winning cuisine at his James Beard Award-nominated restaurant, The Market Place, in Asheville. Folkways Reporter Margaret McLeod Leef spoke with Dissen while he was in Charleston with his debut cookbook, Thoughtful Cooking . Mending With Seeing Hands Jeannine Schmitt weaves a new seat onto an old hand caned chair. Photo Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting A lot of folks in Appalachia grew up with caned chairs in the house, but you don’t see them as much as you used to. Cane breaks down over time and needs to be replaced. Few people know how to do that. At a workshop in Wheeling, West Virginia, a community of skilled workers repair old chairs - and show that not everything that looks broken has to be thrown out. Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett brings us the story. Clara also produced a short video about the people at Seeing Hand. That video, and a few others, will appear on West Virginia Public Broadcasting as part of an Inside Appalachia television special. The episode premiers at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving on WVPB and will be available to watch online starting Nov. 25. A Cozy Cafe For Cats Many cats at Give Purrs A Chance come from overrun shelters and animal rescues in southern West Virginia. Photo Credit: Jack Walker/West Virginia Public Broadcasting West Virginia is home to more than 100,000 stray cats. Most aren’t spayed or neutered, which only increases the problem of overpopulation. Pet advocates say subsidies for the procedure and pop-up clinics can help, but as WVPB’s Jack Walker reports, so can creative efforts to find cats a home. ----- Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Christian Lopez, Harvey & Copeland, Todd Burge, Dinosaur Burps, Paul Loomis and Blue Dot Sessions. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Chris Julin. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram and Twitter/X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
Morel mushrooms are a forager’s delight, but don’t shortcut cleaning them. As flood relief continues from Hurricane Helene — a musician raises money with a song inspired by West Virginia’s 2016 floods. And, not every pumpkin gets to be a jack-o-lantern. Some are used in science experiments instead. In This Episode: More About Morels Raising Flood Relief With A River Song Smashing Pumpkins For Science! More About Morels A morel sliced lengthwise will resemble a gutted fish. Note its characteristic hollow stem, a final safety check on whether you have a true morel, and the reason for its nickname of “dry land fish.” Also note that unclean morels can house ants as well as snails. Courtesy Adam Boring. Every spring, morel hunters head to the woods in search of mushrooms that look like little wrinkled Christmas trees. Some folks freeze them for later. And even add them to their holiday menus. Folkways reporter Wendy Welch spoke with foragers and chefs in Virginia about how to safely harvest and prepare these beloved fungi. Raising Flood Relief With A River Song Four months after Haddox appeared on stage at the Southeast Regional Folk Alliance festival in Black Mountain, North Carolina, Hurricane Helene tore through the conference location, where recovery efforts are ongoing. Courtesy Chris Haddox. In 2016, torrential rains resulted in one of the deadliest floods in West Virginia. It inspired songwriter Chris Haddox, called “O, This River.” Since Hurricane Helene, Haddox has been using that song to raise money for people in North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene. Folkways reporter Connie Bailey Kitts spoke with him about the story behind the song. Smashing Pumpkins For Science! The crowd looks on at a package with a parachute falls to the ground at the 35th Annual WVU Pumpkin Drop Oct. 25, 2024. Photo Chris Schulz. Mason: Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean pumpkin season is done. At West Virginia University, the big orange gourds are part of an annual challenge that takes a lot of guts –pumpkin guts. WVPB’s Chris Schulz had more. ----- Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Christian Lopez, The Appalachian Road Show, Tim Bing, Caleb Caudle, Chris Haddox and John Inghram. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Nicole Musgrave. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
After Helene, an Asheville guitar maker grapples with how to help her neighborhood when there’s so much need. A church in West Virginia is helping turn unwanted guns into garden tools. And, for writer Wei Tchou, it took leaving her home in East Tennessee to start seeing herself in a new way. In This Episode Catching Up With Luthier Jayne Henderson After The Flood Gun And Garden A Study Of Identity And Ferns In “Little Seed” Catching Up With Luthier Jayne Henderson After The Flood Elizabeth ‘Jayne’ Henderson in her workshop in Asheville, North Carolina before Hurricane Helene. Credit: Janie Witte Earlier this year, we visited the workshop of renowned guitar-maker Wayne Henderson, for a story about him and his daughter, Jayne Henderson. Jayne lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and Wayne lives in Rugby, Virginia. Both places were wrecked by Hurricane Helene. Folkways reporter Margaret McLeod Leef caught up with Jayne in the days following the storm. Gun And Garden Outside the Shepherdstown Fire Department, Craig Snyder runs a firearm through a power tool, dismantling it. Photo Jack Walker. Sometimes when people die, they leave behind guns, and their relatives don’t always know what to do with them. So a church in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle is providing a way to dispose of old firearms - and find new uses for them. WVPB’s Jack Walker reported. A Study Of Identity And Ferns In “Little Seed” Author Wei Tchou explores nature and personal identity in her book, "Little Seed." Courtesy photo. The book “Little Seed” by Wei Tchou (CHEW) is a hybrid of nature writing and memoir. Tchou’s parents migrated from China and raised her in eastern Tennessee. The book’s chapters alternate between stories of her passage into adulthood, and descriptions of ferns and closely related plants. Mason Adams spoke with Tchou several weeks before Hurricane Helene. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Amethyst Kiah, Wayne Henderson, Jane Kramer, Gerry Milnes, Steve Earle, John Blissard and Blue Dot Sessions. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. You can find us on Instagram @InAppalachia . You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
Rock climbing gear eventually wears out, but it can still live on as art. Also, the response to Hurricane Helene shows us some of the best in people. Neighbors are helping neighbors. And surfing in West Virginia. Yeah, that’s a real a thing. In This Episode: Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts Neighbors Helping Neighbors After Flooding Surf’s Up On The Gauley River Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts Climbing rope is meant to last, but eventually wears out. Outdoor gear can last a long time, but it wears out. Most of it, you have to throw away. In western North Carolina, though, there’s a climber-turned-crafter who keeps old climbing gear out of the landfill and turns it into art. Folkways reporter Emily Chen-Newton had this story. Neighbors Helping Neighbors After Flooding Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene has devastated communities across western North Carolina and east Tennessee. Recovery efforts in western North Carolina continue. After the storm, neighbors jumped in to help each other before government officials and outside help could arrive. They’re still holding each other up. Blue Ridge Public Radio’s Gerard Albert III, reported. Surf’s Up On The Gauley River Part of the journey to the river includes crossing a tall, narrow old railroad bridge that crosses the river. Briana Heaney/ West Virginia Public Broadcasting You wouldn’t think so, but yes, you can surf in landlocked West Virginia. During the Gauley river’s rafting season, surf’s up –at least for a while. WVPB’s Briana Heaney had more. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Christian Lopez, Caleb Caudle, Steve Earle, Sierra Ferrell, Appalachian Road Show and Blue Dot Sessions… Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Jennifer Goren. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
Submitted for your approval, we have a selection of spooky tales for Halloween and beyond. We have scary stories read by acclaimed sci-fi and horror authors, tales of the supernatural, and we might know someone who says they’ve seen a ghost. All this and more this week, Inside Appalachia . In This Episode: Mike Allen And “The Button Bin” Molly Born And The Spooky Old Tunnel A Ghost Story Another Ghost Story The Return Of The Headless Man And The Murdered Girl Mike Allen And The Button Bin Mike Allen is an award-winning science fiction, fantasy and horror writer based in Roanoke, Virginia. Besides writing, Mike also runs Mythic Delirium, a micropress that “specializes in speculative fiction and poetry, with a penchant for writing that’s challenging to classify.” Mason Adams visited Mike to talk about fantasy and horror and to hear excerpts from one of his stories. Molly Born And The Spooky Old Tunnel Spooky stories can be about people, but sometimes they’re just about a place. In Mingo County, West Virginia there’s an old single-lane railroad tunnel that’s become a local legend. Back in 2018, reporter Molly Born ventured inside the Dingess tunnel to find out what makes it so unsettling. Ghost Story Some people are afraid of ghosts. Others want to figure out ways to communicate with them – like Anita Allen, a writer and paranormal investigator in Roanoke. Mason Adams talked to her about a couple of her ghost encounters. Another Ghost Story Haunted places dot Appalachia – moonlit hollers, mist-shrouded cemeteries, and dusty buildings that hold unspoken secrets. Playwright and theater director Dan Kehde knows just such a place in Charleston, West Virginia. Return Of the Headless Man And The Murdered Girl James Froemel, an actor and storyteller in Morgantown, West Virginia brought us two stories from Ruth Anne Musick. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by The Animals, Amy Lavere, Jason Isbell, Gerry Milnes, Sierra Ferrel, Southern Culture on the Skids and Red Sovine. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
Textbooks have long left out an important piece of labor history that happened here in the mountains. Now, a new young adult book fills in some of what might have been missed about the Mine Wars. Also, when flooding devastates a community, people can find solace through faith and through song. And we remember songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler, who passed away last month. Dozens of musicians have covered his songs including Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash and June Carter and Elvis Presley. In This Episode Recalling The Mine Wars For A New Generation A Family Guitar Brings Peace After A Flood A Bicentennial Celebration in Fleming County, Kentucky Remembering Billy Edd Wheeler Recalling The Mine Wars For A New Generation Author Steve Watkins wants labor history to be remembered. Courtesy photo For generations, that history of the Mine Wars in the early part of the 20th century was scarcely mentioned in schools. The author of a new book hopes to bring the story to today’s young readers. Mason Adams spoke with Steve Watkins, author of “The Mine Wars: The Bloody Fight for Workers' Rights in the West Virginia Coalfields.” A Family Guitar Brings Peace After A Flood Derenia Dunbar (left) stands with parents Ruby (middle) and James Boggs (right) in front of their family home in Millstone, Kentucky. James holds the guitar that was mostly untouched by the floodwaters that filled their house on July 28, 2022. Photo Nicole Musgrave In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we’re reminded that when disaster strikes, people in Appalachia step up to help their neighbors. In the summer of 2022, floods devastated parts of eastern Kentucky. At the time, Folkways editor Nicole Musgrave brought us a story about the Boggs family, who told her about the joy that comes from the soothing music of an old family guitar. A Bicentennial Celebration in Fleming County, Kentucky A church in Fleming County, Kentucky celebrated its 200th anniversary recently. Photo Samantha Morrill In Fleming County, Kentucky, there’s an old, covered bridge that’s been a popular tourist destination for decades. The Goddard covered bridge was built in the late 1800s, then moved in 1933. It extends over Sand Lick Creek, where the road leads to an old country church. That church celebrated its bicentennial in September. Samantha Morrill at WMKY, Morehead State Public Radio, visited the church. Remembering Billy Edd Wheeler Songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler wrote memorable tunes and was a character. Courtesy photo Singer/songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler died in September at the age of 91. The West Virginia native and long-time North Carolina resident was best known for writing songs like “Jackson,” which won a Grammy for Johnny Cash and June Carter. He also wrote “Coward of the County,” which was a hit for Kenny Rogers, and “It’s Midnight,” which Elvis Presley recorded. Mountain Stage’s Larry Groce was a friend and fan of Wheeler’s. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Groce about Wheeler’s legacy. ----- Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by James Boggs, Amethyst Kiah, Caleb Caudle, John Blissard, Paul Loomis, Chris Knight, Johnny Cash and June Carter, and Billy Edd Wheeler. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Jennifer Goren. You can find us on Instagram @InAppalachia . You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
Frank X Walker is a Kentucky poet who in 1991 became a founding member of the Affrilachian poets. Walker says the word “Affrilachia” “ spoke to the union of Appalachian identity and the region’s African-American culture and history .” Walker has a new book, Load in Nine Times . Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams recently spoke with him about it. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity. Adams: Frank X Walker, thank you for coming on Inside Appalachia. Walker: Honored to be here. Adams: How did you first conceptualize this book? What planted the idea in your head? Walker: Well, it came about organically. I had been hired to write some short biographies of Civil War soldiers for this new project in Kentucky called Reckoning, Inc . They wanted to take all these archival documents that were newly available and were being digitized, and alongside the invitation to do your own research, they would show examples of bios written by Kentucky writers. Then I realized this information that I was finding in these documents was so interesting, that I was more moved to respond with a poem than a traditional bio. I asked permission to also include poems with the bios, and they were very excited about that. After about a half dozen anonymous soldiers with no connection to me, I recalled that I had relatives, but I didn't have very much information, and I asked them if they would consider my own relatives with their research. A week later, they came back with a 99-page document of pension files and affidavits and records connected to Randal and Mary Edelen, which were my third great-great-grandparents. That changed my whole trajectory, and I just wanted to write about them. I wanted to know more about them, so I abandoned the project I already started, and just focused on researching the Civil War and writing poems in response to what I was finding out about how it impacted Black families whose men and women were connected to Camp Nelson, which had a refugee camp in what is now known as Nicholasville, Kentucky. I passed by this place for decades and only visited maybe once or twice, but didn't know how much of my own family story was present there, both Randal Edelen and Henry Clay Walker. Another great third, great great grandfather had been stationed there at the same time. Just knowing that I had family members who had been at Camp Nelson made me really interested in going back and revisiting. This book has kind of grown up around that idea of trying to capture that story that's not singularly about the Civil War, but it's about the challenges black families faced before, during and immediately after the war, and it tells a different story than the story than textbooks have put forth. The dedication in “Load In Nine Times,” by Frank X Walker Courtesy photo Adams: So, Mary and Randal Edlin and Elvira and Henry Clay Walker are family members to whom you dedicate the book, and they also appear in the book at times. Can you tell us a little bit more about what you learned about them in the course of researching and writing this? Walker: One of the things that first made an impact for me when considering that question is that my name is Frank X Walker, and the “X” in my name is not my birth name. That became my nickname in college, and then became my legal name when I became a practicing artist and writer in the world. I wanted to be known as Frank X Walker because the “X” stood for the unknown in the traditional Malcolm X, and that unknown meant I don't know my original African name, and that's where I traced my lineage to. And that unknown also had to do with the period of enslavement, when census records did not include the names of individuals who were enslaved — just to age, occupation, and maybe the color. So, the “X” represents all that history. When I'm going through these files, I kept coming across Mary Edelen’s name, and I noticed one day that her handwriting kept being a little bit different each time. I took the chance to zoom in on one of her signatures and realized that in between her name, in between Mary and Edelen, it just said, “her mark,” and there was an “X.” And a bell went off. I pulled back from that image and realized in that document, there were two signatures to the left of that that vouch for her signature. It took about two more steps in my head to realize that she was illiterate, and so somebody else wrote her name, and she had to put an “X” in the spot, and then that spot had to be identified as her mark, you know. So, she was Mary X Edelen, and I was Frank X Walker, and I thought I'd been the first “X” in the family, but here was this woman for almost the same reason, reaching across time to her third great-great-grandson, to communicate something. To me, that was a really powerful moment. Adams: This is a poetry collection, but it really feels not so much as a collection of poems, as this widescreen experience of the pivotal moment in American history — immediately before the Civil War, during and then picking up the pieces after. We see this moment through all these different perspectives — enslaved people, their former masters and some historic figures as well. How were you able to squeeze your brain into all these different perspectives to tell this shared story? Walker: What I learned, having written five previous collections of historical poetry, is that the more points of view that are present, the closer to the truth the entire narrative feels. This was a chance to talk about something that everybody knows about. There are literally thousands of books about the Civil War, but I was trying to come at it from a point of view that challenges traditional narratives. Kentucky's neutrality and then joining the Union, it almost presents a romanticized notion of what the Civil War was in Kentucky, but almost none of those historical accounts share a point of view that's from the black families, the soldiers and their family members, as far as the Civil War was concerned. I wanted to approach it from that direction, and I knew that I'd have to have villains and heroes. I wanted to make sure women's voices were present, and the children were also included. If I was going to discuss enslavement, I needed to have the individuals who oppress the other people and their victims in the same space. Adams: The first section really bracingly drops us into pre-Civil War slavery, and then the book progresses. Can you describe how it's kind of constructed into three parts, and how it flows and why you chose that construction? Walker: I wanted to make sure I told a full account of the Civil War through these soldiers' eyes, which meant I've had to really unfold how they all came to be soldiers, and what the motivation may have been. The biggest motivation was when they changed the law and not just allowed soldiers in Kentucky to join up, but guaranteed that once they signed their names, their children and their wives and their mothers also became free. But I also wanted to make sure that the soldiers had a chance to tell their story. So the middle part of the book is mostly in the voices of soldiers who participated. Then once the war was concluded, I think a story that's undertold is how much effort Kentucky, as an institutional space using legal means, tried to reinstate some of the benefits of having enslaved free labor available. There was a period of almost 10 years where there was this effort to put newly free people back in their place, and a whole period of domestic terrorism that was rendered upon free Black people by former Confederate officers. As you know, there were 25,000 African American men who joined the Union army. There were also as many Kentucky white men who joined the Confederate Army and then returned to Kentucky after the war. For 10 years, groups of them, sometimes up to 200 former calvary men on horseback rode around central Kentucky terrorizing newly freed Black men and their families and chased them off their new farms that they were able to purchase with their $300 that was earned money from having been soldiers. Load in Nine Times, by Frank X Walker Courtesy photo Adams: When you were working on this book, what did you learn about the Civil War in Kentucky that most surprised you? Walker: A lot of people think the Civil War is not over, and there's evidence of those same battles for the same reasons are being fought every day, especially along lines of race and class. The landed, wealthy money corporation entities versus the people who have been dispossessed. Efforts to divide and conquer, divide peoples, particularly poor people, working class people, from each other and make them believe the enemy is that other person. I guess the energy we need to work on if we want to land in a better place is, how do we push against that division and figure out a way to support and push toward a common goal. I hope that people read these poems, and realize that they're based on real human beings and get caught up and connected to the emotional stuff that's infused in the poems. I hope they leave this book saying, “I felt something,” and will now think about this period in history differently, and will look for the lessons that I think are very self evident in this retelling. Adams: Frank X Walker, it's been an honor. Thank you for speaking with us at Inside Appalachia. Walker: Thank you, Mason. I really enjoyed the conversation. Frank X. Walker’s new book is Load In Nine Times . It’s available now.…
 
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Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Podcast - Inside Appalachia Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting podcast artwork
 
This week, Affrilachian poet Frank X. Walker has a new collection of poetry that looks at Black life in Kentucky before, during, and after the Civil War. We also check in with the people affected by flooding in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. A new collection of essays and poems remembers the 2022 flood in Eastern Kentucky witnessed by writers trapped at the Appalachian Writers Workshop. And bird watching only sounds relaxing. Sometimes, it can get a little wild. In This Episode Frank X. Walker Explores The Civil War Witnessing The Historic Flooding Of East Kentucky The Historic Flooding in Western North Carolina and Tennessee Endangered Birds of Appalachia Frank X. Walker Explores The Civil War Poet Frank X. Walker returns with his latest collection "Load In Nine Times." Courtesy Kentucky poet Frank X. Walker co-founded the Affrilachian Poets Collective to challenge the idea that Appalachian identity is defined by whiteness. He’s published several collections and now has a new book, “Load in Nine Times.” Mason Adams spoke with him. The Historic Flooding In Western North Carolina And Tennessee Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene has devastated communities across western North Carolina and east Tennessee. Courtesy Blue Ridge Public Radio Hurricane Helene left many without water, power or cell service in western North Carolina and east Tennessee. We heard reports from Gerard Albert III at Blue Ridge Public Radio and Riley Thompson at WUOT about communities struggling and coming together in the aftermath of the flood. Witnessing The Historic Flooding Of East Kentucky "Troublesome Rising" features writers who witnessed the 2022 flooding in Eastern Kentucky first-hand. Courtesy photo Flooding is not uncommon in Appalachia. In 2022, parts of Eastern Kentucky were also ravaged. Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, an author from the Qualla Boundary, the territory of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina was at the Appalachian Writer’s Workshop in Hindman, Kentucky, when it was struck by the thousand-year flood. Her writing is included in the new anthology, “Troublesome Rising,” which compiles poetry and stories from writers who witnessed the flood. B-P-R and Grist climate reporter Katie Myers spoke with Clapsaddle about flooding in the mountains. Endangered Birds of Appalachia Photographer and author Matt Williams hopes people who love watching birds can be encouraged to take a more active role in conservation. Courtesy photo Nature photographer Matt Williams hopes a passion for bird watching might lead people to conservation. He’s published three books of photographing wildlife, including his latest — “Endangered and Disappearing Birds of Appalachia and the Southeast.” Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Williams about the book. ------ Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Amethyst Kiah, Larry Rader, Jeff Ellis, John Blissard, Sierra Ferrell and Blue Dot Sessions. Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from folkways editor Jennifer Goren. You can find us on Instagram @InAppalachia . You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org. You can find us on Instagram , Threads and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook. Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter! Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.…
 
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