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The hillbilly stereotype is frequently used to shame mountain people, but there are gentler versions, like Snuffy Smith, the long-running comic strip character. Snuffy Smith originally started out as a supporting character in his comic strip, which first launched in 1919 when Billy DeBeck created Barney Google. Artist Fred Lasswell was brought in during the ‘30s to create Snuffy Smith and his friends. And now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.
Their sound is unmistakable. Here in the mountains, you can sometimes hear them working their way up the holler, getting closer and closer, until you’re engulfed in that loud drone.
It’s another cicada summer in Appalachia. Brood 14 of the insect has emerged in parts of the region, especially in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
A cicada’s mating call can get up to 100 decibels, which is comparable to a jackhammer.
Jakob Goldner is an entomologist with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Goldner about what to expect with this season’s brood.
Prepping Morel Mushrooms For Meals
Morels grow in April and sometimes into May throughout most of Appalachia. These were harvested by Adam Boring.
Photo Credit: Adam Boring
Every spring, morel hunters head to the woods in search of mushrooms that look like little wrinkled Christmas trees. In 2024, Folkways reporter Wendy Welch tagged along with foragers and spoke with chefs in Virginia about how to safely harvest and prepare this beloved fungi.
Federal Funding Cuts To Fresh Food In Schools
Preston High School.
Photo Credit: Chris Schulz/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
The Trump administration’s federal cuts are affecting everything from aviation administration to worker safety. That includes the USDA’s Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program. The program pays for schools to purchase fresh, local food for students.
Justin Hough is Director of Child Nutrition for Preston County Schools in West Virginia. WVPB’s Chris Schulz spoke with Hough about how the cuts will affect school meals next year.
Black Activist In West Virginia Finally Receives Grave Marker
Bessie Woodson Yancey (1882-1958) was a poet, teacher and activist in West Virginia.
Courtesy oftheWest Virginia State Archives.
Bessie Woodson Yancey was a Black West Virginia teacher, poet and columnist. She was also the sister of Carter G. Woodson, who in 1926 founded what eventually became Black History Month.
A group of folks recently gathered at Yancey’s grave site in Huntington, West Virginia, to pay homage. WVPB’s Randy Yohe has the story.
Sinkholes in Appalachia
A sinkhole that grew on Montford Avenue in 2021, which took many months to resolve.
Photo Credit: Jason Sanford/Blue Ridge Public Radio
Sinkholes are pretty common in Appalachia. Some have been around for centuries, but the nature of how they’re formed makes it hard to predict when or where a new sinkhole will open up. They can be a real danger, but they also stir the imagination.
Blue Ridge Public Radio’s Katie Myers and Laura Hackett have this story, about what causes sinkholes and what we can learn from them.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by John Blissard, Tim Bing, Dinosaur Burps, Mary Hott, Matt Jackfert and Blue Dot Sessions.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff 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.
The hillbilly stereotype is frequently used to shame mountain people, but there are gentler versions, like Snuffy Smith, the long-running comic strip character. Snuffy Smith originally started out as a supporting character in his comic strip, which first launched in 1919 when Billy DeBeck created Barney Google. Artist Fred Lasswell was brought in during the ‘30s to create Snuffy Smith and his friends. And now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.
"Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire" is a young adult novel set in Appalachia. Written by West Virginia native Don Martin, the book follows the story of a witch-in-training who uses her magic to help a forgotten mountain coal town. It was an instant New York Times bestseller after it was released last year. Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Martin about the book and his podcast "Head on Fire."
This week, having a very specific talent can lead to a dream job. It’s how cartoonist John Rose got his foot in the door to draw the comic strip Snuffy Smith. Also, there are dos and don’ts for treating poison ivy. And, a young, old-time musician wants to save her family’s lost ballads.
For nearly 100 years, Snuffy Smith has been a staple of newspaper comic pages, though these days, it’s easier to find him online. Snuffy Smith was brought to life by artist Fred Lasswell in the 1930s, but now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke to Rose about drawing the famous hillbilly.
