From time to time Appalachia Bare will share videos produced by Black in Appalachia. Black in Appalachia is an organization dedicated to preserving and highlighting the stories and contributions of the African-American communities of our region through research, oral histories, document preservation, and exhibition. This is all provided as aContinue Reading
Today’s Red Death I have been shut in my house, my yard, and my neighborhood for the past two months, and I am getting frustrated with how drawn out all the government’s coronavirus safety measures have become. I have not seen my grandparents or friends during all of that time,Continue Reading
Now my mind was again filled with memories of my mother’s homemade cakes. Boy, they sure were good. I wondered how they all were – my sisters and brothers. I wondered how my father was doing. My father didn’t write much, but he didn’t have to. I knew by nowContinue Reading
When my brother and I were little, we raced to sit in front of the TV to watch cartoons on our three channels. (Five, depending on how you rotated the outdoor antenna.) Whoever sat down first could watch whatever cartoons he or she wanted. This “plan” was doomed, however, whenContinue Reading
Growing up in the 1960s during an era of assassinations, civil unrest, and the war in southeast Asia, at times I wore sadness like a raincoat as a palpable and threatening cloud hung over the nation. My memories of that time recur as a series of stock and binary images: Continue Reading
I wasn’t totally sold on getting a puppy for several reasons – chief among them is that puppies are a lot of work. I’ll admit, though, my wife made a good choice for the family. Coors plays well with Sierra, he’s been a good comfort to my wife, and he’sContinue Reading
“Hmm,” I muse quietly to myself, “great series.” I’ve just finished an old Alan Moore comic book saga – Swamp Thing: The Curse. I like all sorts of books. Usually, I spend my time reading non-fiction, environmental journals, or the Beat Generation – and a whole lot of Internet, toContinue Reading
These days leading up to summer are so gorgeous and bright; and they seem to beckon us to forget the sickness that pervades the world. But we are warriors in more ways than one. We must continue to arm ourselves against this sickness. We must continue to wear masks andContinue Reading
The recent death of George Floyd poured salt onto a gaping, raw wound in this country. The event exposed excessive police force, police overreach, and the absolute need for reform. The following African American names are by no means an exhaustive list. Though the deaths of many of the AfricanContinue Reading
My friend Virgil Davis passed away on April 21, 2020, at his home in Knoxville, Tennessee. At the time, I posted a brief tribute to him on Facebook describing Virgil as a gentleman, scholar, teacher, community organizer, and social justice advocate. His son Jon echoed my sentiment in his dad’sContinue Reading