Appalachian Resources in Special Collections and University Archives

The people of Appalachia are as varied as they come. This section contains resources about religion, culture, music, legends and folklore, political theory, and racial relations. 

Appalachia holds family and kinship as a major pillar of social and community life. Community members often had to rely on their neighbors as towns developed, creating a deep family-like bond. Religion is another major pillar of life in Appalachia, but the religions of the region are so diverse that Appalachian religion cannot be characterized by just one tradition. Appalachia has a rich historical connection to folklore, which often changed to reflect attitudes and events over time.

This information and more can be found in the Encyclopedia of Appalachia and the resources below.

Click on the book or collection title to learn more about it.

• Carolina's Hunting Heritage, 1978. Call Number: SK125 C37 Spec Large
• Encyclopedia of Appalachia, 2006. Call Number: F106 E53 2006 Spec Large and Newman 3rd Floor
• Bial, Raymond. Mist over the Mountains: Appalachia and its People, 1997. Call Number: F217 A65 B53 1997 Spec Large and Newman Juvenile
• Bickley, Ancella R.; Ewen, Lynda Ann. Memphis Tennessee Garrison: the Remarkable Story of a Black Appalachian Woman, 2001. Call Number: F247 M2 G375 2001 Spec Large and Newman 3rd Floor
• Biggers, Jeff. The United States of Appalachia: How Southern Mountaineers Brought Independence, Culture, and Enlightenment to America, 2006. Call Number: F217 A65 B54 2006 Spec Large and Newman 3rd Floor
• Catte, Elizabeth. What You Are Getting Wrong about Appalachia, 2018. Call Number: F217 A65 C37 2018 Spec Small
• Covington, Dennis. Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia, 1995. Call Number: BX7990 H6 C68 1995 Spec Large and Newman 3rd Floor
• Craig, Edward Marshall. Highways and Byways of Appalachia: a Study of the Work of the Synod of Appalachia and of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. Call Number: BX8967 A6 C7 Spec Small
• Daugneaux, Christine B. Appalachia: a Separate Place, a Unique People, 1981. Call Number: F217 A65 D38 Spec Large and Newman 3rd Floor
• Galer, Eilleen Gardner. Appalachian Folks, 1997. Call Number: F217 A65 G35 1997 Spec Large
• Hayden, Wilburn, Jr. Appalachian Black People: Identity, Location and Racial Barriers, 2015. Call Number: E185.912 H39 2015 Spec Large
• Hayes, Amanda E. The Politics of Appalachian Rhetoric, 2018. Call Number: PE2927 A6 H39 2018 Spec Large
• Hirschman, Elizabeth Caldwell. Melungeons: the Last Lost Tribe in America, 2005. Call Number: E184 M44 H57 2005
• Hooker, Elizabeth R. Religion in the Highlands, 1933. Call Number: BV2793 H6 Spec Large and Newman 3rd Floor
• Jones, Ora L. Peculiarities of the Appalachian Mountaineers: a Summary of Legends, Traditions, Signs and Superstitions that are Almost Forgotten, 1967. Call Number: GR108 J65 1967 Spec Large
• Kirby, Rich; Kline, Michael. They Can't Put It Back: Songs from a Ravaged Land. Call Number: M1977 M5 K55 Spec Large
• Miles, Emma Bell. The Spirit of the Mountains, 1905. Call Number: F217 A65 M54 1905 Spec Small
• Miller, John David. The Sibold Effect: Beyond Science, History, Ghosts, and the Appalachian Supernatural, 2016. Call Number: GR500 M566 2016 Spec Large
• O'Dell, Earlene Rather. The Flavour of Home: a Southern Appalachian Family Remembers, 2000. Call Number: TX715 O337 2000 Spec Large
• Paden, Jeremy; Spriggs, Bianca Lynne. Black Bone: 25 Years of the Affrilachian Poets, 2018. Call Number: PS591 N4 B476 2018 Spec Large
• Peoples' Appalachian Research Collective. Appalachia's People, Problems, Alternatives; an Introductory Social Science Reader, 1972. Call Number: HN79 A13 A7 1972
• Sharp, Cecil James. English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, 1952. Call Number: M1629 S53 E6 1952 Spec Large
• Stachowicz, Tamara L. Melungeon Portraits: Exploring Kinship and Identity, 2018. Call Number: E184 M44 S73 2018 Spec Large
• Weatherford, Willis Duke; Brewer, Earl D. C. Life and Religion in Southern Appalachia, 1962. Call Number: F210 W39 1962 Spec Small
• West, Don. People's Cultural Heritage in Appalachia. Call Number: F210 W47 Spec Large
• West, Don. Southern Mountain Folk Tradition and the Folksong "Stars" Syndrome. Call Number: ML3560 A66 W47 Spec Large and Newman 3rd Floor
• West, Don. Romantic Appalachia: or, Poverty Pays If You Ain't Poor. Call Number: HC107 A13 W47 Spec Large
• West, Don; West, Constance. The Appalachian South Folklife Center, 1976. Call Number: PN2275 W4 A66 1976 Spec Large
• Withoft, Mabel Swartz. Oak and Laurel: a Study of the Mountain Mission Schools of Southern Baptists, 1923. Call Number: BV2520 W5 1923

• Appalachian Student Organizing Committee, 1964-1975 (RG31/14/10).
• Bishop William H. Marmion Papers, 1932-1981 (Ms1986-013).
• Elizabeth Fine Papers, 1983-2012 (Ms2015-041).
• Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Virginia Records II, 1913-1967 (Ms2011-018).
• Harriet Eliza Lathrop Reminiscences, 1937 (Ms1988-011).
• Harris Mountain Schools Collection, 1913-1961 (Ms1961-001).
• Jean Elliot Papers, 1999-2015 (Ms2016-014) (Box 1, Folders 61-62).
• League of Women Voters of Montgomery County, Virginia Records, 1961-2001 (Ms1997-016).
• Richard B. Dickenson Papers, 1931-2004 (Ms2011-043).
• Yellow Sulphur Springs Hotel Account Book, 1887-1895 (Ms1940-033).
• Yellow Sulphur Springs Sale Broadside, 1943 (Ms2009-106).

• Black Appalachians Oral History Project. 1991. (Ms1991-019). (cassette tapes)
• Blue Ridge Parkway Folklore Project Records. 1978-1979. (Ms1986-009). (audio reels, papers)
• Earl Palmer Appalachian Photograph and Artifact Collection. 1880-1989. (Ms1989-025). (photographs, artifacts)
• Music of Coal: Mining Songs from the Appalachian Coalfields. 2007. Call Number: M1629 M87 2007 Spec Large (CD)
• Old-Time Music from South-West Virginia. 2001. Call Number: Compact Disc 2146 (CD)