African American Archives - Appalachian History

Surgical Suite at Barnett Hospital Circa 1919

December 9, 2022 Healthcare

Barnett Hospital: A Glimpse of Healthcare Racial Segregation

Please welcome guest author Brandy McGhee. Growing up and living in Appalachia most of her life, Brandy has strong ties to the area. After becoming and working as a nurse for 20 years Brandy became interested in the history of the Appalachian region and specifically the evolution of healthcare and nursing in Appalachia. Brandy is an assistant professor of nursing

Continue reading

artificial 1930s leg on pile of coal

October 11, 2019 Black Appalachia / Coal mining

Dey didn’ pay me nothin’ fer gittin’ my legs cut off

Naw, dey didn’ pay me nothin’ fer gittin’ my legs cut off. Dey aint never give me one cent. Dey give me some artificial legs.

Continue reading

cab-calloway-and-his-orchestra-1936

September 25, 2018 Appalachian music / Black Appalachia / Maryland

Cab Calloway plays Cumberland

Some of America’s most famous entertainers of the 1930s, because they were African-Americans, were barred from staying in Cumberland’s hotels.

Continue reading

Sheet music cover image of the song 'On Emancipation Day March and March Song', with original authorship notes reading 'Words by Paul Laurence Dunbar Music by Will Marion Cook', United States, 1902.

August 8, 2018 Black Appalachia / Emancipation Day

August 8 is Emancipation Day. But not everywhere.

Black communities in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina have observed Emancipation Day ever since Lincoln’s proclamation on January 1, 1863.

Continue reading

calhoun's saloon and house of ill fame early 1900s

March 12, 2018 Black Appalachia / Oral histories / West Virginia

Suffice to say the young bucks gaped in awe

In early days for some reason, the little town of Keystone, WV sported one of the biggest red light districts [Cinder Bottom] in existence.

Continue reading

Developed by Thunderbolthost