This week Shepherd University is hosting the 20th Annual Appalachian Heritage Festival. Many of the planned festivities surround the 17th Annual Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence.
Shepherd’s Appalachian Heritage Festival began back in 1995, and now twenty years later, it’s still going strong. The festival first started as a way to combat some of the negative stereotypes about West Virginia and Appalachian culture.
This year’s 17th Annual Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence is Nikki Giovanni, a renowned American poet from Knoxville, Tennessee who’s known for her activism in Civil Rights.
There will be many events throughout the remainder of the week, including concerts this weekend with a community gospel sing, a banjo workshop, an old-time string band competition, and more.
Poet Nikki Giovanni will be hosting free lectures and poetry readings throughout the week.