On this West Virginia Morning, an experimental apple orchard in the state is helping to fight pollution, improve food scarcity and some hope even heal veterans. Briana Heaney has the story.
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.
On this West Virginia Morning, an experimental apple orchard in the state is helping to fight pollution, improve food scarcity and some hope even heal veterans. Briana Heaney has the story.
On this West Virginia Morning, health care services for nearly 30 percent of West Virginia’s population may be difficult to access if lawmakers don’t fully fund the Medicaid program in an expected special session. Emily Rice has more.
On this West Virginia Morning, drinking water in Wyoming County is making people sick but it’s unclear who is responsible. Also, a look at voter concerns ahead of May's primary election.
Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.