Letter to the editor: statement of support for Affrilachian artists project

We, the undersigned scholars, writers, artists, and activists, support and celebrate the historic presence and contributions of black, indigenous and people of color in Appalachia and deeply resent any whitewashing of the region that erases the long diverse history in the region. We resent a history of the region that fails to acknowledge the abuses of BIPOC Appalachians and the erasure of racial and ethnic diversity from the stories of the region. We stand with the curators of “Black Diaspora: From Africa to Appalachia to Affrilachia” (Marie Cochran and Lyn Govette) along with the featured artists (Chris Aluka Berry, LaKisha Blount, Marcella Jane Buis, Sean Gerard Clark, Nikky Finney, Jason Flack, William Isom III, Amythyst Kiah, Lynn Marshall-Linnemeier, Viola Spells, Frank X Walker, and Sammie Nicely+). We support the fight against the ignorance and racism that fueled a verbal attack on September 3, 2020 at the Slocumb Galleries at East Tennessee State University. Further, we acknowledge the frequent and ongoing racist aggressions, slurs, attacks, and dismissal that many in our region endure. We stand for an accurate portrayal of the region, and encourage a decentering of white narratives of Appalachia. We stand for antiracism, justice, and truth.

Jade Louise Alexander, Appalachian State University

Staff of Appalshop

Appalachian Studies Association Steering Committee

Rhonda Armstrong, Augusta University

April Asbury, Radford University

David Atkins, Dean, University Libraries, East Tennessee State University

Neema Avashia, writer

Courtney Balestier, writer

Mary Baldridge, Carson-Newman University

Marsha Lee Baker, Professor Emeritus, Western Carolina University

Moira P. Baker, Professor of English / Women’s and Gender Studies, Radford University

Elizabeth Barret, filmmaker and Appalshop Archive co-director

Sarah Bea

David Beach, Radford University

Shannon E. Bell, Virginia Tech

Carly Berlin, Southerly

Jeff Biggers, writer

Jonathon Blair Bost, Western Carolina University

Mark Blevins

Caroline Boerger, Appalachian State University

Amanda Bozack, Radford University

Cheryl Brandreth, writer

Michael Briggs, East Tennessee State University

Katie Beth Brooks, Virginia Tech

Jeannette Brown, Knoxville

Wesley Browne

Ann E. Bryant, office manager, Appalachian Studies Association

Patricia Buck, East TN State U

Megan Burnett, Associate Professor of Theatre, Bellarmine University

Theresa L. Burriss, Director of Appalachian Studies, Radford University

Danielle Byington, East Tennessee State University

Shauna Caldwell, Appalachian State University

Krystal Carter, Appalachian State University

Patrick S. Cash, East Carolina University. East Tennessee State University Class of 2014

Christopher (C.M.) Chapman, WV writer

Anne Chesky Smith, Executive Director, Western North Carolina Historical Association

Katy L. Chiles, University of Tennessee

Amy Clukey, University of Louisville

Danille Christensen, Department of Religion and Culture, Virginia Tech

David Cobb, University Press of Kentucky

Amy Cooter, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Vanderbilt University

Jessica Cory, English Instructor, Western Carolina University

Donna Corriher, Coastal Carolina University, South Carolina

TracyAnn Costello, Appalachian Women of Action

Anna Creadick, Appalachian State alum

Ruby Daniels, Creasy Jane’s

Emily Darnell, English Instructor, Western Carolina University

Angelyn DeBord, Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Play Therapist, Artist, playwright

Chris DeMaria

Eileen Doan, Chicago IL

Charles Dodd White, Director James Agee Conference, Pellissippi State Community College

Lenora Douglas

Becca Spence Dobias, author, Project Manager at Writing Bloc

Nicole Drewitz-Crockett, Associate Professor of English, Emory & Henry College, Director, E&H Literary Festival & Editor, The Iron Mountain Review

Tom Eblen, Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning and Lexington Herald-Leader (retired)

Taulby Edmondson, Departments of History and Religion and Culture, Virginia Tech

Scott A. Eldredge, PhD, Associate Professor of Communication, Western Carolina University

Samantha Ellis

Casie Fedukovich, Associate Professor, North Carolina State University

Jonathan Beecher Field, Department of English, Clemson University

Rebecca Finney, director of Roadside Theater at Appalshop

Madeline ffitch, writer

Tucker Foster, ETSU

Virginia C. Fowler, Virginia Tech

Benjamin Francis

Abby Freeland

Matthew Gabriele, professor and chair of the department of Religion & Culture, Virginia Tech

Denise Giardina, author, retired writer-in-residence, West Virginia State University

Matthew Gilbert, East Tennessee State University

Elizabeth Glass, PhD Candidate & GTA, University of Louisville

Jesse Graves, Professor of English, East Tennessee State University

Chris Green, Director of the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center, Berea College

Enrique A. Gómez, associate professor. Western Carolina University. President, Jackson County NC NAACP

Kalan Guenther, Appalachian State University

Josina Guess, Managing Editor, The Bitter Southerner

M. Aaron Guest, Assistant Professor of Aging, Arizona State University

Jessica Handler

Kelly Hansel Haywood

Leah Hampton

Tom Hansell, Appalachian State University

Anthony Harkins, Western Kentucky University

Michael Harrington, community organizer, Southern Crossroads (Berea, KY)

Anna Harris-Parker, Augusta University

Allison Harris, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Marc Harshman, Poet Laureate of West Virginia, Wheeling, WV

Sharon Alusow Hart, Appalachian State University

Fred J. Hay, Ph.D., Anne Belk Distinguished Professor and Librarian of the W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Professor of Appalachian Studies, Appalachian State University

Amanda Hayes, Kent State University Tuscarawas

Paige Hayes Horst, Radford University

Arielle Hebert, poet and Director of Operations, Blair Publishing

Taylor Henderson, Virginia Tech

Julie Hensley, Professor of English, Bluegrass Writers Studio, Eastern Kentucky University

Emily Hilliard, West Virginia folklorist

Karla Hilliard, co director West Virginia Council of Teachers of English and WV Teacher

Katie Hoffman, PhD

Thomas Alan Holmes, East Tennessee State University

Janet Ann Holtz, Waynesville

Silas House, writer and Chair of Appalachian Studies, Berea College

Beth Howard, Organizing Director of Southern Crossroads

Jason Kyle Howard, writer;  Assistant Professor of Writing & Editor of Appalachian Review, Berea College

Beth Huber, Associate Professor, Western Carolina University

Bob Hutton, University of Tennessee

Holly Ittel, The Dairy Barn Arts Center

Collin Jewell, Appalachian State University

Caleb Johnson, Appalachian State University

Chelsey Johnson, Appalachian State University

Sylvester A. Johnson, Virginia Tech   

Shelly Jones, Associate Head of School, St. Francis School, Louisville, KY, and native of Franklin, NC

Adam W. Jordan, College of Charleston

David Joy

Edward Karshner, Robert Morris University

Paul Kiefer

Elizabeth Kilcoyne

Terri Killin, Special Needs Advocate

Matthew Kingesly

Ann Kingsolver, University of Kentucky

Korine Kolivras, Virginia Tech

Andrew Koricich, Appalachian State University

Jordan Laney, Instructor, Virginia Tech and Appalachian State University

Katherine Ledford, Appalachian State University

Benjamin Lee, University of Tennessee

Jess Lewis, author and organizer, from Shelton Laurel NC

Ruth Looper, Professor of English, Young Harris College

Mecca J. Lowe, Sociology Instructor, Surry Community College, Dobson, NC

Flemming Love Sanders- Sylva, NC

Jordan Lovejoy, PhD candidate, Ohio State University

Tiffany Lowe

Meagan Lucas, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Ronni Lundy, independent scholar and author, co-founder Appalachian Food Summit

Marie Manilla, West Virginia writer

Jeff Mann, Associate Professor, Department of English, Virginia Tech

Ethan Mannon, Associate Professor of English, Mars Hill University

Lonormi O. Manuel, Appalachian author and native of east Tennessee

Jessica Martell, Appalachian State University

Jane MacMorran, Department of Appalachian Studies, East Tennessee State University

Vanessa Mayoraz, Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University

Rob McDonald, ETSU MA (English) ‘88

Rose McLarney, Associate Professor, Department of English, Auburn University

Hannah McLaughlin, Appalachian State University

Meredith McCarroll, Vice-President Appalachian Studies Association, Bowdoin College

Catherine Jones McClarin

Z. Zane McNeill, Y’all Representative to ASA

Judith McWillie, artist/author, Professor Emerita, Lamar Dodd School of Art, University of Georgia, Athens GA

Derek Miller, Kingsport

Miranda Miller, English Instructor, Western Carolina University

Braden Mills

Jim Minick

Robin Miura, Senior Editor, Blair Publishing

Mary B Moore, Poet, Professor Emerita, Marshall University

Ricardo Nazario-Colón Co-Founder, Affrilachian Poets

Kathryn Newfont, University of Kentucky

Kelly Norman Ellis, Poet, Department Chairperson Chicago State University

Kelly Norrell, Knoxville

Susan O’Dell Underwood

Karen Paar, Mars Hill University

Elaine Fowler Palencia

Lisa Parker, MFA, writer, musician, photographer

Mary Parr, Associate Professor, Berea College

Linda Parsons, poet, playwright, editor

Lydia Patton, Professor, Virginia Tech

Trena Paulus, Professor and Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities, East Tennessee State University

Donna Porterfield, Appalshop (retired)

Mark Powell, Director of Creative Writing, Appalachian State University

Anita Puckett, Appalachian Studies Program, Virginia Tech

Tiffany Pyette, LiKEN

Candance Reaves, Retired English Professor, Knoxville, TN

Erik Reece, University of Kentucky

Douglas Reichert Powell, Columbia College Chicago

Kimberly Reigle, Associate Professor of English, Mars Hill University

Michele Ren, Radford University

Rhonda L. Reymond, Associate Professor of Art History, West Virginia University

Ron Roach, Chair, Department of Appalachian Studies, East Tennessee State University

Carrie Rogers, PhD.  Associate Professor of Teacher Education, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC.

Rachel Rosolina

Andrew S Ross, Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University

Travis A. Rountree, Assistant Professor, Western Carolina University

Rosemary Royston, poet

Ashley Runyon, director of the University Press of Kentucky

Jessica Salfia, co-director the West Virginia Council of Teachers of English & WV public school teacher

Jane Sasser, poet, retired educator

Emily Satterwhite, director of Appalachian Studies, Department of Religion and Culture, Virginia Tech

Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle

Amanda Sawyers, East Tennessee State University

Staff at Scalawag Magazine

Peter Schmitthenner, Virginia Tech

Rebecca Scott, University of Missouri-Columbia

Kerrie Seymour, Clemson University

Muhammed Shah Shajahan, graduate assistant, Religion and Culture, Virginia Tech

Caitlyn Sheets, Shepherd University graduate and editor of “Anthology of Appalachian Writers: Volume XI”

Julie Shepherd-Powell, Appalachian State University

Scott Sikes, Emory & Henry College

Savannah Sipple, writer and Assistant Professor of English at Bluegrass Community and Technical College

Amanda Jo Slone, Communications Co-Chair Appalachian Studies Association, Writer

Barbara Ellen Smith, Professor Emerita, Virginia Tech

Nicholas Smith

Nancy Sokolove, Art Consultant, Curator

Alan Sorrells, Lansing Community College

Berkley Sorrells, Michigan State University

Ed Southern

Jamie Rogers Southern

Keith Stewart

Josef Steiff, Columbia College Chicago

Laura Still, author, storyteller and historic walking tour guide, Knoxville, TN

Travis Stimeling, West Virginia University

Cate Strain, Northeast State Community College

Christina Sutton

Audrey Sudderth, ESTU alumna, Appalachian Studies

Maia Surdam, Program Director, Partnership for Appalachian Girls’ Education (PAGE), Asheville, NC

Jessie Swinkford, community coordinator, Smoky Mountain Community Center

Natalie Sypolt, President Appalachian Studies Association, writer and professor, Pierpont Community & Technical College

Nancy Taylor, Radford University

Rachel Terman, Ohio University

Bonnie Thibodeau

Tim Thornton, AASIS coordinator, Radford University

Mary Kay Thomas, executive director, Appalachian Studies Association

Claire Tryon, Shepherd University graduate

Shaun Turner, part-time faculty, Eastern Kentucky University                     

Amanda Villar

Kelly Terzaken, Appalachian State University

Jessica Tomasin, Connect Beyond Festival

Zackary Vernon, Appalachian State University

Kyle Warner, English faculty, Craven Community College

Sara Webb-Sunderhaus, Associate Professor of English, Miami University (OH)

Leila Weinstein, Program Coordinator Ramsey Center for Appalachian Studies, Mars Hill University

Kayla Rae Whitaker

Chris Wilcox, owner, City Lights Bookstore, Sylva, NC

Stacie Wilcox, MA, Appalachian artist and Virginia Tech Alum

Devlin Wilde

Jessica Wilkerson, West Virginia University

Jill Williams, Executive Director, Calfee Community & Cultural Center

Matthew Wimberley, Lees-McRae College

Annie Woodford, poet, Wilkes Community College English instructor

Sylvia Woods

Paul M Worley, Associate Professor, Western Carolina University

Marianne Worthington, editor, Still: The Journal

Ashley York, co-director/producer of Hillbilly, University of Southern California

Lynn York, Publisher, Blair Publishing