The Local Voices of Appalachian Activism

This paper explores the contrast between outsider-led initiatives like the War on Poverty and the homegrown activism that emerged from within the Appalachian region. While federal programs often misunderstood or marginalized the communities they sought to help, this research highlights the powerful impact of local efforts—especially labor organizing and cultural storytelling—as tools for resistance and empowerment. It examines how grassroots movements, such as early 20th-century labor strikes and community organizations like the Appalachian Volunteers, shaped collective identity. At the heart of this transformation is Appalshop, a media collective founded in 1969 that empowered Appalachians to tell their own stories through film, radio, and theater. These narratives reframed Appalachia from a place of victimhood to one of resilience, self-determination, and cultural pride. This research shows that the most effective activism came not from top-down solutions, but from everyday Appalachians reclaiming the right to define themselves.

(Spring 2025).