Virgil Q. WacksVirgil Q. Wacks
Appalachia is filled with unique and colorful characters. Today we tell the story of one of them: journalist, baseball entrepreneur, self-promoter and chronicler of life in southern Appalachia through the
Author: Steve Gilly
Jackie MitchellJackie Mitchell
In 1931 a Chattanooga woman made baseball history by striking out, back to back, two Yankee legends. Today we tell her story. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at
The Spanish FluThe Spanish Flu
They say that history doesn’t repeat itself. While that’s certainly true, it’s also true that history does tend to rhyme every now and then. Today we tell the story of
The Bell WitchThe Bell Witch
When the Bell family left North Carolina to settle in Tennessee they imagined a new life with lots of opportunity. They got that, along with a spirit, or witch, or
Mother Jones, Part TwoMother Jones, Part Two
Today we continue the story of labor activist Mother Jones, beloved by generations of Appalachian coal miners. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, RadioPublic, TuneIn,
Mother Jones, Part OneMother Jones, Part One
A woman born in Ireland who immigrated to, first, Canada, then the United States, became a schoolteacher and dressmaker. The tragic loss of her husband and children led eventually to
The Prophet of Oak RidgeThe Prophet of Oak Ridge
Back at the turn of the 20th century lived a man in East Tennessee to whom God revealed visions of the future. Most folks called him crazy…until 1945. Today, as
Wiley OakleyWiley Oakley
A boy’s search for the spirit of his late mother in the Smokey Mountains led to a career as a Great Smoky Mountains National Park guide and a life as
Tabitha HoltonTabitha Holton
Up until the late 1800’s the legal profession in North Carolina was limited to men only. That changed with the admission of a spunky woman born in Iredell County named
Nancy WardNancy Ward
One of the most well-known Cherokee on the Appalachian frontier was Nanyehi, known to the settlers as Nancy Ward, the niece of Attakullakulla and the cousin of Dragging Canoe. Today