u/jwpeace

I wanted to share this piece from Pickup Trucks & Progress because I think it raises a question we don't talk about enough, especially in rural and working-class communities.

For generations, unions were a familiar part of life in coal towns, factory towns, railroad communities and other parts of rural America. Even if you weren't a union member yourself, chances were somebody in your family was.

Today, that's changed.

This Letter From Rural America, submitted by Kristy L. Vance of the Western Virginia Area Labor Federation, looks at what unions actually do, why collective bargaining matters, and what the decline of organized labor has meant for working people and the American middle class.

You don't have to agree with everything in the article. In fact, I'm curious what folks here think:

Has the decline of unions helped or hurt working people in rural America?

And for those who've worked a union job, did belonging to a union make a difference in your wages, benefits, retirement or working conditions?

Here's the article:

https://pickup-trucks-progress.ghost.io/do-you-know-what-a-union-is-or-what-it-does/

I wanted to share this article from Back Porch Tales & Travels about a part of Appalachian culture that doesn't always make it into the history books: the Granny Witches of Appalachia.

Depending on where you grew up, you might have heard them called granny women, herb doctors, healers, midwives, or simply somebody who "had the gift."

These women carried knowledge passed down through generations. They knew which plants might ease an ailment, helped deliver babies when a doctor was miles away, practiced old folk remedies, and sometimes were believed to possess the gift of sight. Some read palms or tea leaves. Others were said to know things before anybody told them.

Traditionally, you didn't simply pull out your wallet and pay a granny woman. You brought something of value to trade. A ham, eggs, canned goods, cloth, labor, or whatever you had. In communities where cash could be scarce, people still understood that knowledge and help had value.

Some folks today dismiss these traditions as superstition. Others remember grandparents and great grandparents who swore by them. Either way, they're part of the complicated mixture of folklore, faith, necessity, isolation, and old world traditions that helped shape Appalachia.

I'd especially enjoy hearing from people with Appalachian roots:

Did your family ever talk about a granny woman, healer, herb doctor, midwife, water witch, or someone who was said to "have the gift"?

I'd love to hear the stories that have been passed down in your family.

Read “The Granny Witches of Appalachia: America's Forgotten Tradition of Healers, Seers, and Mountain Magic” at Back Porch Tales & Travels:

https://back-porch-tales-travels.beehiiv.com/p/the-granny-witches-of-appalachia

I had no idea hair art was once common in Appalachia. Did anyone else's family talk about this?

I recently learned that during the Victorian era, it wasn't unusual for families to create keepsakes from the hair of loved ones who had passed away. Some were framed as artwork, while others were woven into jewelry as a way of remembering family members.

I'd always associated that practice with Europe or large cities, so I was surprised to learn examples can still be found at the Southwest Virginia Museum in Big Stone Gap.

It made me wonder what other customs used to be common across Appalachia that have mostly disappeared.

Did your grandparents or great-grandparents ever talk about traditions that younger generations would find unusual today?

I'm thinking about things like:

• Mourning customs
• Family superstitions
• Homemade remedies
• Funeral traditions
• Folk beliefs
• Other customs that have faded away

I enjoyed digging into the history, and if anyone's interested in learning more about the museum and these traditions, here's the article that got me started:
https://back-porch-tales-travels.beehiiv.com/p/what-we-learned-about-death-memory-and-hair-art-in-big-stone-gap-va

I'd love to hear what traditions or stories have been passed down in your family.

America's first million-copy bestselling novel came from Big Stone Gap, Virginia. How many people here already knew that?

I grew up in Southwest Virginia, and even I didn't fully appreciate the impact John Fox Jr.'s The Trail of the Lonesome Pine had on American culture.

The novel, published in 1908, became one of America's earliest million-copy bestsellers. It later inspired Broadway productions, a 1936 Hollywood film starring Henry Fonda, and today it's still performed each summer as Virginia's official outdoor drama in Big Stone Gap.

It got me wondering why this piece of Appalachian history isn't talked about more often. We hear plenty about Hillbilly Elegy, Cold Mountain, and The Foxfire Books, but The Trail of the Lonesome Pine arguably introduced millions of Americans to the idea of Appalachia over a century ago.

Has anyone here seen the outdoor drama or read the novel? I'd be interested in hearing what you think about its place in Appalachian history. And what other books do you think have shaped how the rest of America sees our region?

I recently wrote a deeper dive into the history for anyone interested:
https://back-porch-tales-travels.beehiiv.com/p/from-big-stone-gap-to-hollywood-the-enduring-legacy-of-the-trail-of-the-lonesome-pine

I'd genuinely enjoy hearing your thoughts and any family stories or memories connected to the play or the book.

Data centers are the new gold rush. Big Tech isn't coming to rural America for coal or timber—they're coming for electricity. Is this our next economic boom or another resource rush? Read more: https://the-rural-route-review.ghost.io/data-centers-the-new-gold-rush/ #DataCenters #RuralAmericaRisingPAC

I'm honored to have my feature article, "Talking Appalachian: Speaking History," published by The Neighborly / SWVA Country.

Our Appalachian way of speaking is more than an accent, it's a living piece of American history. The words, expressions, and phrases handed down through generations tell the story of our Scotch-Irish, English, German, and other cultural roots. They're part of who we are and deserve to be understood, not stereotyped.

A sincere thank you to The Neighborly for helping preserve and share the stories, history, and culture of Southwest Virginia and Appalachia. Publications that invest in regional storytelling help ensure these voices continue to be heard by future generations.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to read the article and let me know what Appalachian words or expressions you grew up hearing that your grandparents used.

https://www.swvacountry.com/talking-appalachian-speaking-history/

#Appalachia #SouthwestVirginia #Storytelling #History #Culture #Language #Writing #Journalism #Neighborly #Author

📚 Discover the Real-Life Tragedy Behind a Small Town's Loss 📚

Stephen King might write about fictional small towns haunted by tragedy, but Bedford, Virginia, lived it. On June 6, 1944, this tight-knit community faced one of the heaviest losses of D-Day.

In "When a Town Lost Its Boys," explore how these young men grew up together, went to school together, and enlisted together. They were more than just soldiers; they were brothers, friends, and sons of Bedford.

This story from Back Porch Tales & Travels takes you beyond the legend to the heart of a community forever changed.

Read more about their journey and sacrifice here: https://back-porch-tales-travels.beehiiv.com/p/when-a-town-lost-its-boys

#BedfordBoys #DDay #HistoryUncovered #SmallTownStories #BackPorchTales #ABoyFromCrackersNeck #BigStoneGap 📖✨

The Lost Tribe of Appalachia: The Mystery of the Melungeons

Ever heard of the Melungeons? These mysterious people have been the subject of whispers and legends in the Appalachian hills for over two centuries. Nestled in places like Big Stone Gap, VA, these dark-haired families have sparked curiosity and intrigue. Are they descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel, survivors of the Lost Colony of Roanoke, or perhaps Portuguese sailors who found a home in the mountains? 🤔

Join us on a journey through time and folklore with "The Lost Tribe of Appalachia: The Mystery of the Melungeons." Dive into the stories that blur the lines between legend and truth. 📜✨

Read more in our latest edition of Back Porch Tales & Travels, where every tale is a bridge between myth and reality.

Check it out here: https://back-porch-tales-travels.beehiiv.com/p/the-lost-tribe-of-appalachia-the-mystery-of-the-melungeons

#Melungeons #Appalachia #Mystery #History #Folklore #BackPorchTales #TravelStories #LegendAndTruth #TheKeokeeTriangle #GhostsOfTheMoonshineMafia