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

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

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

In honor of Memorial Day, I’m including a second excerpt of my father’s memoirs when he was in the Vietnam War. Thank you to all our service members – to those who fought in the past and to those who still continue to fight. –Delonda Anderson   Excerpt Two ItContinue Reading

“I like the old stuff, man.” Steve’s voice is soft as he sips gas-station coffee and cruises the Little River Road. “I mean, just listen to this, dude. Sounds like you’re supposed to rock Bob Seger in the mountains.” We are heading to Rainbow Falls trailhead to climb Mount LeConte.Continue Reading

Appalachia Bare is proud to introduce a new monthly nature series written by Grant Mincy, an assistant professor of biology and (sometimes) geology at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tennessee. He also sits on the Earth and Planetary Sciences Advisory Council for the University of Tennessee. He often hikesContinue Reading

It is wonderful to live and sing. It is a great thing to feel that one is able to help other people with one’s voice. I want to play in a new opera where the heroine does not die in the last scene or go mad. That is why IContinue Reading

For the past dozen years, the Young-Williams Animal Center has sponsored a Mardi Growl Parade and Festival in downtown Knoxville. Hundreds of dogs in costume are paraded by their owners to raise funds to support the efforts of the Young-Williams Animal Center, which seeks to find a home for every unwantedContinue Reading

Betty Brewer was my great-aunt, though only four days older than my mother. I never knew Betty. She died before I was born, killed by a jealous wife who caught her husband and Betty in a lover’s tryst at a boarding house rented by the day. Family spoke of BettyContinue Reading

Alvin Goins was a day laborer living in Rhea County, Tennessee, during the early and mid-years of the twentieth century. He was a Melungeon, a descendant of Portuguese ancestry. He was also illiterate. Yet, he had an extraordinary gift for numbers, able to calculate sums mentally in seconds, qualifying him,Continue Reading