This week on Inside Appalachia, for nearly a century, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival has staged a formal dance. We visit the festival and learn about a manual that’s been passed down for generations. Also, abortion is illegal in most cases in Tennessee. A photographer spent a year following one mother who was denied an abortion.
Remembering Woody Williams And Volunteers Save Segregated Cemetery, Inside Appalachia
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This week, we visit a cemetery in Bluefield, Virginia and learn how racial segregation followed some people to the grave.
We also hear from Neema Avashia, author of the celebrated memoir, “Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer And Indian In A Mountain Place.”
And we remember Hershel “Woody” Williams. The West Virginia native was America’s last living World War II Medal of Honor winner. He died last summer at the age of 98.
You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
For decades, the graves of Black residents in a Virginia community were neglected in the town’s old, segregated cemetery.
It might have stayed that way if not for the efforts of one woman who had family buried there.
Folkways Reporter Connie Bailey Kitts brought us this story.
Coming Up Queer And Indian In Appalachia
Recently, Inside Appalachia put together a list of summer reading suggestions. We interviewed several prominent Appalachian authors, but we couldn’t fit them all into one show – including Neema Avashia.
Her collection of personal essays, “Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place,” about growing up in West Virginia, was a well-received memoir.
Mason Adams spoke with Avashia.
Remembering Woody Williams
Hershel “Woody” Williams was the nation’s last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient.
He was a West Virginia native and died June 29, 2022 at the age of 98.
Before he passed, though, he did an interview with WVPB’s Trey Kay for the podcast Us & Them.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Chris Knight, Chris Stapleton, Harvey & Copeland, June Carter Cash, and Little Sparrow.
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.
This week on Inside Appalachia, for nearly a century, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival has staged a formal dance. We visit the festival and learn about a manual that’s been passed down for generations. Also, abortion is illegal in most cases in Tennessee. A photographer spent a year following one mother who was denied an abortion.
This week, West Virginians went to the polls for primaries to decide some national and local issues. We’ll talk about the results of some of Tuesday’s elections and hear from some voters.
On this West Virginia Morning, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival in Pineville, Kentucky has staged a formal dance for nearly a century that has remained the same for generations. Folkways Reporter Will Warren takes us for a visit.
On this West Virginia Morning, the stage is now set for a two man, two party political race for governor of West Virginia. Randy Yohe gives us an initial look at what we can expect from the Republican and the Democratic nominees.