Books in the Contributions to Southern Appalachian Studies series

Mills Higgins Flack, a leader of the Farmers' Alliance and Rutherford County's first Populist in the state House, was murdered on August 28, 1900, by Avery Mills, an African American. This work documents the murder and lynching of Avery Mills.

Explores the various ways that social, economic, and cultural factors influence the identities and educational aspirations of rural working-class Appalachian learners. The objectives are to highlight the cultural obstacles that impact the intellectual development of such students and to address how these cultural roadblocks make transitioning into college difficult.

Few career opportunities were available to minority women in Appalachia in the first half of the 20th century. Nursing offered them a respected, relatively well paid profession and--as few physicians or hospitals would treat people of color--their work was important in challenging health care inequities in the region. Working in both modern surgical suites and tumble-down cabins, these women created unprecedented networks of care, managed nursing schools and built professional nursing organizations while navigating discrimination in the workplace. Focusing on the careers and contributions of dozens of African American and Eastern Band Cherokee registered nurses, this first comprehensive study of minority nurses in Appalachia documents the quality of health care for minorities in the region during the Jim Crow era. Racial segregation in health care and education and state and federal policies affecting health care for Native Americans are examined in depth.

Dwight Hamilton Diller is a musician from West Virginia devoted to traditional Appalachian fiddle and banjo music, and a seminary-trained minister steeped in local Christian traditions. For the past 40 years, he has worked to preserve archaic fiddle and banjo tunes. This book tells of Diller's life and music, his personal challenges and his decades of teaching an elusive musical form.

Born on the eve of the Emancipation Proclamation in Roanoke County, Virginia, Richard L. Davis moved to Rendville, Ohio in 1882 where he became a checkweighman and early mine labor organiser. On January 22, 1890, he was one of only two African Americans who attended the founding convention of the United Mine Workers of America in Columbus, Ohio.

Appalachian literature has no small share of silent or non-discursive characters, though the reasons for their wordlessness vary. They capture the reader's attention by what they don't say. This collection of new essays analyses characters who are unable or unwilling to communicate orally, whose lack of voice conveys physical, mental or social hindrance.

Wayne Henderson calls Albert Hash "a real folk hero". A fiddler from the Blue Ridge, Hash built more than 300 fiddles, recorded with a variety of bands and inspired countless instrument makers and musicians. His biography is the story of a resourceful, humble man who dedicated his life to his art, community and Appalachian musical heritage.

Junaluska is one of the oldest African American communities in western North Carolina and one of the few that has persisted into the modern era. These life history narratives adapted from interviews with residents (born between 1885 and 1993) offer a people's history of the black experience in the southern mountains.

This work carefully examines Trivett's life and photographs, comparing his work to that of contemporary outside photographers. Through Trivett's imagery we can see the everyday reality for most people in rural Appalachia.

Stories from doctors, nurses, and therapists dealing on a daily basis with the opioid crisis in Appalachia should be heartbreaking. Yet those told here also inspire with practical advice on how to assist those in addiction, from a grass-roots to a policy level.

Native Americans have occupied the mountains of northwestern North Carolina for around 14,000 years. This book tells the story of their lives, adaptations, responses to climate change, and ultimately, the devastation brought on by encounters with Europeans.

Tommy Thompson was a banjo player, writer, actor, teacher and thinker. Using interviews and writings from Thompson and his loved ones, the author presents to us a life that revolved around music and creativity. Included are appendices on Thompson's banjos, a discography and notes on his collaborative lyric writing.

Wayne Howard has lived an exceptionally creative life. This biography follows the threads of music and folklore through Howard's life, celebrating his knowledge of the songs and songsters that does much to sustain the interest of those who seek out Appalachian tunes, songs, and stories.

In this first historically comprehensive book on Lost Cove, North Carolina, the author paints a portrait of an isolated yet thriving settlement that survived for almost one hundred years. From its founding before the Civil War to the town's ultimate decline, Lost Cove's history is an in-depth account of family life and kinship in isolation.