Digital Access and Preservation: Calling Attention to Diverse Voices in Appalachia

FAIN: ZPA-283480-22

East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, TN 37614-1710)
Jeremy A. Smith (Project Director: May 2021 to present)

The hiring of three staff members, along with funding for current staff,  undergraduate students, and related supplies needed to provide free online access to artifacts and collections at the Archives of Appalachia and the Reece Museum documenting the diversity of Southern Appalachia. 

East Tennessee State University’s Reece Museum and Archives of Appalachia will provide free online access to over 30,000 rare or unique items that have previously only been accessible through in-person visits to ETSU. These items include artifacts, photographs, audio recordings, and manuscript materials that collectively demonstrate the diversity of the people and the cultures of Southern Appalachia. They provide a tangible link to the diverse lived experiences of the people of this region, drawing new attention to African-American Appalachians and female Appalachians and calling into question the reductive stereotypes that have often circumscribed public perceptions of the region.