190 episodes

Inside Appalachia tells the stories of our people, and how they live today. The show is an audio tour of our rich history, food, music and culture.

Inside Appalachia West Virginia Public Broadcasting

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.8 • 233 Ratings

Inside Appalachia tells the stories of our people, and how they live today. The show is an audio tour of our rich history, food, music and culture.

    Encore: What Is Appalachia? We Asked People From Around The Region. Here’s What They Said

    Encore: What Is Appalachia? We Asked People From Around The Region. Here’s What They Said

    This week, we’re revisiting our episode “What Is Appalachia?” from December 2021. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the Midwest, the Rust belt and even the Northeast. The Appalachian Regional Commission defined the boundaries for Appalachia in 1965 with the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commision, a part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. It was legislation that sought to expand social welfare, and some localities were eager for the money, while others resisted the designation. The boundaries and definition of Appalachia can now only be changed by an act of Congress.

    Politically, Appalachia encompasses 423 counties across 13 states — and West Virginia’s the only state entirely inside the region.

    That leaves so much room for geographic and cultural variation, as well as many different views on what Appalachia really is.

    For Inside Appalachia, we turned our entire episode over to the question, “What is Appalachia?” With stories from Mississippi to Pittsburgh, we asked people across our region whether they consider themselves to be Appalachian.

    • 53 min
    Remembering Travis Stimeling And The Age Of Deer, Inside Appalachia

    Remembering Travis Stimeling And The Age Of Deer, Inside Appalachia

    Inside Appalachia remembers Travis Stimeling. The author, musician and educator left a deep mark on Appalachian culture, and the people who practice and document it.  

    And grab your dancing shoes and learn about a movement to make square dance calling more inclusive.

    Plus, it’s not just you. There are more deer than ever these days. A writer explores the long, complicated entwinement of people and our wild kin.  

    • 53 min
    Brasstown Carvers, Willie Carver And Cabbagetown, Inside Appalachia

    Brasstown Carvers, Willie Carver And Cabbagetown, Inside Appalachia

    For nearly a century, some of the best wood carvers in Appalachia have trained at a folk school in North Carolina. The Brasstown Carvers still welcome newcomers to come learn the craft.

    In 2021, Willie Carver was named Kentucky’s Teacher of the Year. Then he left his job over homophobia and became an activist and celebrated poet. 

    And, the zine Porch Beers chronicles the author’s life in Appalachia — including a move from Huntington to Chattanooga, and back again.

    You're hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

    • 53 min
    Step Dancing At WVSU And Radioactive Brine, Inside Appalachia

    Step Dancing At WVSU And Radioactive Brine, Inside Appalachia

    Step shows are a tradition at many historically Black universities, including schools in Appalachia. We hear about one that’s part of West Virginia State University’s annual homecoming celebration. 

    Abandoned industrial sites have long been a magnet for people to explore and turn into not-at-all-legal hangout spots, but some come with hidden dangers. We learn about the danger at Fairmont Brine, a site in West Virginia that processed liquid used in hydraulic fracking.  

    You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

    • 53 min
    Encore: The Love Of Competition, Inside Appalachia

    Encore: The Love Of Competition, Inside Appalachia

    Appalachians love to compete. Whether it’s recreational league softball, a turkey calling contest or workplace chili cookoffs, Mountain folks are in it to win it.

    But there’s more to competing than just winning or losing.

    In this show, we’ll meet competitors who are also keepers of beloved Appalachian traditions.

    • 53 min
    The Fall Of AppHarvest, Inside Appalachia

    The Fall Of AppHarvest, Inside Appalachia

    When the farming start-up, AppHarvest, launched in Kentucky, it promised good jobs in coal country — but some workers called it a grueling hell on earth.

    We also explore an island of Japanese culture in West Virginia called Yama. 

    And fish fries have been a staple in Charleston, West Virginia’s Black community for years. We visit one and learn a little about what’s made them so popular.

    You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

    • 53 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
233 Ratings

233 Ratings

tatertothotdish3 ,

Beautifully done and extremely educational

I have been looking for a podcast that is both informative and entertaining, and I have finally found the one. From Dollywood to how the music of Appalachia evolved to deep cultural and political issues, this podcast hits every nail on the head. Inside Appalachia has the high quality production unique to public broadcasting and is so comprehensive and detailed in its work. Everything from the music to the interviews to the topics is well thought out, and I have learned so much. I can’t recommend this podcast enough!

lgreene337 ,

Hit or miss podcast

I love most of the stories, but some times they are a little “woke”.

Katobow ,

Why Northern Accents?

I appreciate this podcast and stories are good but I’m beginning to wonder if they are all made up. Where’s my accent? My/our southern accent?
Most everyone on here sounds like they are from the north, Midwest, or California.
Us Appalachian folks speak differently than most folks on this podcast and it’s quite disheartening. A true Appalachian podcast would have folks who speak like we do with an accent as us, not one from somewhere else; think Dolly Parton.
As north as southern Ohio and as west as Indiana, the southern accent still lives and it’s not at all being portrayed. It’s like story telling to people who are interested, never lived here, and thus the crew must conjure up the stories with accents understood…everywhere but here. Not cool at all. Our southern speak is being so left out and is completely disheartening.

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