On October 26, 1952, Chattanooga police held 15-year-old Virgil Le May on a $12,000 bond for his role in a multi-state crime spree that included car theft and kidnapping. But
On February 21, 1921, authorities in Greenville County, South Carolina, destroyed a 25-gallon moonshine still. While such events were common during the Prohibition era, what made this particular raid noteworthy
Today we tell the story of Jean Ritchie, the “Mother of Folk.” Born in the small town of Viper, Kentucky, Jean captivated audiences worldwide, influencing legends like Bob Dylan and
On February 13, 1913, in the midst of the West Virginia Mine Wars, labor leader Mother Jones stood before a mass meeting in Smithers. She, along with two striking coal
In the late 19th century, the mountains of Scott County, Virginia, bore witness to a deadly confrontation that would send two brothers on the run for decades. It began in
On February 11, 1921, a Baptist minister, his wife and their four-year-old daughter were the victims of a bombing. The family was asleep in the church parsonage in Pocahontas, Virginia,
In early 1861, Tennessee appeared to be firmly committed to the Union. On February 9, a statewide vote rejected holding a secession convention, with 54% of Tennesseans voting against the
On April 13, 1953, a bizarre and little-known story came to light. A Navy officer working on the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, suffered a severe nervous breakdown. His
Old Tassel, a prominent figure among the Overhill Cherokee, was a staunch advocate for peace during a period of conflict between them and the settlers moving into East Tennessee. Despite
On February 7, 1913, a brutal act of violence occurred that sparked the beginning of the West Virginia Mine Wars, a conflict between the coal barons and the miners in