Tag: Poetry

Celebrating A Tradition Of Poets And Discussing The Resurgence Of Black Lung, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, Rev. George Mills Dickerson of Tazewell, Virginia was born in the years after slavery ended. He’s remembered today through his poetry. And a new wave of black lung disease is ravaging Appalachia. We’ll hear more from a black lung town hall in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Coal miners have their own thoughts about black lung, too.

This week, Rev. George Mills Dickerson of Tazewell, Virginia was born in the years after slavery ended. He’s remembered today through his poetry.

And a new wave of black lung disease is ravaging Appalachia. We’ll hear more from a black lung town hall in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Coal miners have their own thoughts about black lung, too.

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

In This Episode:

Celebrating Poetry About 20th Century African American Life

Poetry has been a tradition in Jeanette Wilson’s family for generations. They’ve recited the poems of Wilson’s grandfather and her uncle George for nearly a century. Now, these poems about African American life in southwest Virginia are reaching a wider audience — and connecting the past to the present. 

Folkways Reporter Connie Kitts brings us this story.

The Voices Of Black Lung Miners

For years, it looked like black lung disease was on the decline, but a new epidemic has emerged. In 2018, NPR and the PBS program Frontline investigated a resurgence of advanced black lung among coal miners across Appalachia. They found that despite mounting evidence and a stream of warnings, federal regulators and mining companies failed to protect workers.

The result was that thousands of miners were afflicted with an advanced stage of black lung disease — known as Progressive Massive Fibrosis.

We bring this story from the miners themselves, as told to NPR’s Howard Berkes and Ohio Valley ReSource reporter Benny Becker. It was originally broadcast on NPR’s All Things Considered on Jan. 22, 2019. The full documentary Coal’s Deadly Dust is available on pbs.org.

Black Lung Town Hall Meeting In Kentucky

In July, the Appalachian Citizens Law Center hosted a black lung town hall in Whitesburg, Kentucky. The nonprofit law firm invited miners and their families to hear from experts about the current state of black lung disease in Appalachia. One of those experts is Kentucky radiologist James Brandon Crum, who first alerted federal researchers to what they later labeled an epidemic of complicated black lung. 

WMMT in Whitesburg recorded the meeting for its program Mountain Talk. What Dr. Crum has to say is eye-opening — especially if you’re not part of the coal mining community.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jeff Ellis, Charlie McCoy, Southern Culture on the Skids, June Carter Cash, and Tim and Dave Bing

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.

A Poetic Family Tradition And Our Song Of The Week, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, Jeanette Wilson’s family poems about African American life in southwest Virginia are connecting the past to the present in a preview of this week’s Inside Appalachia. And, our Mountain Stage Song of the Week comes from pioneering alt-rock sextet, Wilco.

On this West Virginia Morning, Jeanette Wilson’s family poems about African American life in southwest Virginia are connecting the past to the present. Folkways reporter Connie Kitts brings us a preview of this week’s Inside Appalachia show.

Also, Emily Rice reports that the majority of West Virginia’s children in foster care are actually teenagers and many of them are placed in group homes instead of foster homes.

And, our Mountain Stage Song of the Week comes from pioneering alt-rock sextet, Wilco. We listen to the title track from their latest, 12th studio album, “Cruel Country,” where they lean back into their roots for what the band itself labels as a “country album,” with their innovation and influences all on display.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content. 

Support for our news bureaus comes from Concord University and Shepherd University.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Caroline MacGregor, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Briana Heaney, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Liz McCormick, and Randy Yohe.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and producer.

Teresa Wills is our host.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Remembering Floods And Recovering From Disaster, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, flooding is a recurring problem across Appalachia. This week, we’re taking stock, and looking back on floods that have devastated parts of West Virginia and Kentucky. We explore some of the reasons for floods, as well as the aftermath and the slow recovery that often follows disaster. It’s not all gloom. Even in our hardest moments, there’s always hope.

Flooding is a recurring problem across Appalachia. This week, we’re taking stock, and looking back on floods that have devastated parts of West Virginia and Kentucky.

We explore some of the reasons for floods, as well as the aftermath and the slow recovery that often follows disaster.

It’s not all gloom. Even in our hardest moments, there’s always hope. 

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

In This Episode:

Revisiting The WV Flood Of 2016

In 2016, West Virginia saw 10 inches of rain in 12 hours. The resulting flooding led to 23 deaths. The governor mobilized hundreds of members of the West Virginia National Guard.

Jessica Lilly reported from the town of Richwood and told a story that went back decades.

Reclaiming Rand

Rand, West Virginia, is a town of about 900 people just outside Charleston. Flooding has been a regular problem for decades, partly because of longstanding issues with faulty storm sewers.

Tiara Brown reported this story.

Healing Comes From Alan “Cathead” Johnston’s Ballad 

Alan “Cathead” Johnston with his daughters Jessi and Stacey at the Wheeling Jamboree.

Courtesy Photo

Singer and songwriter Alan “Cathead” Johnston wrote the song, “Muddy Waters” about two horrific back-to-back 100-year floods that tore through McDowell County in 2001 and 2002.  

It’s been a couple of decades, but Folkways Reporter Connie Kitts found that people are still drawing strength and comfort from this ballad.

The Flood In Hindman, KY

It’s impossible to talk about flooding without acknowledging last year’s historic flooding in eastern Kentucky. The floods killed at least 38 people and damaged some of the region’s cultural centers, including Appalshop in Whitesburg and the Hindman Settlement School.

WFPL’s Stephanie Wolf visited Hindman just after the floods and took stock of what was lost. 

Coming Back From Disaster Through Faith And Music

Dean (Dino) McBee cleans old recording equipment damaged in the 2022 floods in Kentucky.

Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

When you spend time in Appalachia and live through a few floods, you tend to notice a recurring theme: neighbors helping neighbors. In Millstone, Kentucky gospel musicians were cut off from participating in part of their culture after they lost instruments. Many found help reconnecting with their music.

Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave brought us this report.

A Poem For A Flooded Town

West Virginia poet Doug Van Gundy at the Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky for the Appalachian Writer’s Workshop in 2022 the night Troublesome Creek flooded.

He shared this poem with us, which was partly inspired by what he saw.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Jackson Browne, The Dirty River Boys, Alan “Cathead” Johnston, Dino McBee and Yonder Mountain String Band.

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.

Summer Reading Suggestions, Inside Appalachia

Inside Appalachia loves books and writers – and if you’re looking for summer book recommendations, we’ve got a bunch. This is our summer reading episode, featuring some of our favorite notable author interviews from over the past several months. 

Inside Appalachia loves books and writers – and if you’re looking for summer book recommendations, we’ve got a bunch.

This is our summer reading episode, featuring some of our favorite notable author interviews from over the past several months. 

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

In This Episode:

Silas House Talks Climate Calamity With “Lark Ascending”

“Lark Ascending” is a post-apocalyptic story about the ravages of climate change.

Written by Kentucky’s Silas House, the novel racked up several awards including the 2023 Southern Book Prize and the 2023 Nautilus Book Award. 

Mason Adams spoke with House following the release of “Lark Ascending,” last fall.  

Kentucky poet laureate Silas House spoke to Mason Adams about his novel “Lark Ascending.”

Courtesy

Barbara Kingsolver’s Appalachia Explored In “Demon Copperhead”

A Pulitzer Prize winning novel is typically considered “a solid read,” and even before it took the honor, Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead” was attracting attention.

In 2022, Kingsolver was the Appalachian Heritage Writer-in-Residence at Shepherd University in West Virginia. 

WVPB’s Liz McCormick sat down with Kingsolver to talk about Appalachia and the book. 

Author Barbara Kingsolver.

Credit: Evan Kafka

Frank X. Walker Talks Poetry and Affricachia

Thirty years ago, Kentucky poet Frank X. Walker rebelled against the definition of Appalachians as, “the white residents of the Appalachian mountains” and coined the phrase “Affrilachia.” 

Walker’s latest is “A is for Affrilachia,” a children’s book.  

It’s been called “an ode to Affrilachia.” 

WVPB’s Eric Douglas spoke with Walker. 

Cover art for Frank X. Walker’s children’s book, “A is for Affrilachia.”

Courtesy

Hotdogs In the Hills With Emily Hilliard

One of our favorite recent non-fiction books has been “Making Our Future: Visionary Folklore and Everyday Culture in Appalachia,” by folklorist Emily Hilliard.

It’s chock full of quirky Appalachian culture – from indie pro wrestling to the video game “Fallout 76” and more.

Folkways Reporter and resident foodie Zack Harold talked West Virginia hotdogs with Hilliard.

Emily Hilliard’s book relishes Appalachian culture.

Courtesy

Women Speak In Appalachia

For a sampling of women writers, especially poets, you might check out any of the eight volumes of “Women Speak,” an anthology series collecting the work of Appalachian women.

The books are edited by Kari Gunter-Seymour, Ohio’s poet laureate.  

Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Gunter-Seymour about poetry, getting published, and Appalachian Ohio.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Del Mcoury, The Appalachian Road Show, Little Sparrow, Buck Owens and Tim Bing.

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 and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Drop Of Sun Studios And Appalachian Syrup, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina has put out some of the hottest indie rock records of the year. We talk with one of its co-founders. We also visit the Alleghany Highlands, where Appalachia’s maple syrup traditions are changing with the times. And, poet Lacy Snapp introduces us to east Tennessee’s poetry scene.

This week, Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina has put out some of the hottest indie rock records of the year. We talk with one of its co-founders.

We also visit the Alleghany Highlands, where Appalachia’s maple syrup traditions are changing with the times.

And, poet Lacy Snapp introduces us to east Tennessee’s poetry scene.

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

In This Episode:

Highland County, Virginia attracts syrup producers and maple syrup fans for its annual festival.

Credit: Clara Haizlett/West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The Sweet Taste Of Syrup In Virginia And West Virginia

Highland County, Virginia and its neighbors in West Virginia are some of the southernmost places in the U.S. to make maple syrup. 

Generations of people in these communities have turned tapping trees for syrup into a longstanding tradition — but modern producers are experimenting with new syrups while adapting to changing demands, and a changing climate.

Folkways Reporter Clara Haizlett brings us this story.

Alex Farrar (left) and Adam McDaniel are the co-founders of Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina.

Credit: Drop of Sun Studios

Drop Of Sun Studios Sees Success In Asheville, NC And Beyond

Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina has been putting out a string of buzzworthy albums ranging from Angel Olsen and Wednesday to Indigo De Souza. 

Inside Applachia host, Mason Adams, wanted to find out more and spoke to record producer Alex Farrar about the studio and making records amid the Asheville music scene.

The Continuing Conversation About West Virginia’s Prisons

West Virginia’s prison system has come under fire for acute staffing trouble, violence and inmate deaths. But a recent report shows that the number of people incarcerated in West Virginia ranks low among states.

Wanda Bertram is communication strategist for the Prison Policy Initiative, which produced the report.

WVPB News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Bertram to find out more. 

Poetry Pub Crawls And Words That Come From Woodworking

Poet Lacy Snapp lives in Johnson City, Tennessee, where she teaches American Literature and Composition at East Tennessee State University. She’s also a woodworker. It’s a craft she picked up from her father’s side of the family in western North Carolina.

Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch first met Snapp at the Appalachian Studies Conference in Athens, Ohio. She was there to talk about her work with a group that makes poetry more accessible to the public.

Bill recently caught up with Snapp to talk poetry, woodworking and poetry pub crawls. 

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Blissard, Lucero, Indigo De Souza, Secret Shame, Angel Olsen, Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, Truth Club and Tyler Childers.

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 and Twitter @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Sign-up for the Inside Appalachia Newsletter!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Hope Scholarship Program On The Rise, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, the Hope Scholarship program allows West Virginia students to apply state money toward private and parochial school tuition. And state officials say the program is growing.

On this West Virginia Morning, more than 6,000 West Virginia students have signed up for a $4,500 Hope Scholarship savings account that allows them to take state money and apply it to tuition in private schools. 

Randy Yohe spoke with state Treasurer Riley Moore, whose office administers the school choice program, on the growing numbers who want to opt out of the public school system.

Also, in this show, one of the places struck by the floods last July was the Hindman Settlement School, home to the Appalachian Writers Workshop. Musician, poet and West Virginia Wesleyan professor Doug Van Gundy was there and wrote a poem about it.

Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Van Gundy about the poem and writing about tragedy.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Concord University and Shepherd University.

Eric Douglas is our news director and produced this episode.

Chuck Anziulewicz hosted this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

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