Interview with Helen Lewis, March 9, 2015

Partial Transcript: Um, so I'll, I'll--we'll start the interview in a second but I wanted to just get on record, uh, some consent that we're doing this for an oral history project...

Segment Synopsis: Helen Lewis is introduced. She talks about growing up in Jackson County, Georgia where her father was a mail carrier. She talks about her father taking her to meet the most educated man in town, Mr. Rakestraw, an African American minister. She tells the story of Mr. Rakestraw coming to her house and her reactions to the racist remarks made by her mother's friends. She talks about going to the movies in the 1930s. She talks about moving to Cumming, Georgia, a place where all of the African Americans had been run out of town by the white residents. She talks about going to a friend's house where their patio was made from the gravestones from the black cemetery.

Keywords: Black community; Cars; Family background; Fathers; Follies; Gravestones; High school; Mail carriers; Matthews family; Movies; Mr. Rakestraw; Patios; Sears Roebuck catalogs; University of Georgia football games

Subjects: African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; African Americans--Southern States.; Athens (Ga.); Childhood; Cumming (Ga.); Family histories.; Family--history; Jackson County (Ga.); Race discrimination.; Racism; United States--Race relations.

Partial Transcript: Well, um, you're getting us forward and I want to move forward so that we can get to the--talking about your time at Appalshop.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about how religion and activism became connected in her mind through various experiences including hearing Clarence Jordan's "Cotton Patch Gospel." She talks about growing up Presbyterian but attending the Baptist church after moving to Cumming, Georgia, and talks about her experienced of being "saved" in the Baptist church. She talks about attending Georgia State College for Women, and becoming involved with the YWCA and interracial activities which led to her arrest at a "mixed dance." Her involvement with these organizations further emphasized the connections between religion and social activism for Lewis. She talks about people's reactions to her activism.

Keywords: "Mixed dances"; "The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John"; Addresses; Arrested; Baptist Student Union; Baptist church; Bessie Tift College; Church groups; Clarence Jordan; Compulsory chapels; Faith; Fathers; Forsyth County (Ga.); Georgia State College for Women; Girls colleges; Hate mail; Jobs; Police; Politics; Preachers; Publicity; Reactions; Receptions; Sharecropping; Social activism; Social justice; Support; YWCA

Subjects: African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; African Americans--Southern States.; Civil rights movements--United States; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; Integration; Political activists.; Race discrimination.; Religion; United States--Race relations.; Women civil rights workers

Partial Transcript: It seems that in both your, uh, telling of, of, uh, the article on the cover of the, you know, newspaper but also the article you wrote and the response you received...

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about attending Duke University for graduate school on a scholarship. She returns to talking about her undergraduate education at Georgia State College for Women and her involvement in organizing a political campaign for student voters to elect a progressive governor.

Keywords: Duke University; Films; Georgia State College for Women; Graduate school; Husbands; Media; Political impact; Political organizing; Power; Progressive governors; Scholarships; Social impact; Sociology; Students for Good Government

Subjects: College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; Political campaigns; Voting; Women political activists

Partial Transcript: Okay I get married in '47. And he wants to come to the University of Virginia which I didn't particularly want to go.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about getting married and moving to Virginia for her husband's job. She discusses her job as a social worker when they first arrived in town and what she learned from the experience. She talks about why the University of Virginia would not give her a full time job, and about teaching at Clinch Valley College which the University of Virginia was just opening. She talks about studying at Berkeley on a scholarship, working at East Tennessee State College where she was the director of the new social work program before being fired for "nurturing radical students," beginning to write on colonialism, and earning a scholarship to study in Europe, all in hopes of receiving a full time job at the University of Virginia.
[An interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: "Colonialism in Modern America: The Appalachian Case"; Abolitionists; Anthropology; Appalachian Studies; Clinch Valley College; Community; Compulsory ROTC; East Tennessee State University; Europe; Fired; Frank Kilgore; John Gaventa; Married; National Science Foundation; Red Cross; Richmond (Va.); Ron Eller; Scholarships; Social work program director; Social workers; Thesis; University of California, Berkeley; University of Kentucky; University of Virginia; University of Virginia's College at Wise; Vietnam veterans; Virginia Citizens for a Better Reclamation; Women's suffrage movement; Writing

Subjects: College environment; College students--Political activity.; College students--Social conditions; College teachers--Political activity; College teachers--Social conditions; College teaching.; Educators; Race discrimination; Sex discrimination against women; Sex discrimination in higher education.; Sexism in higher education; Teachers; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges--Departments; Universities and colleges--Faculty.; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: And, and this too is where you start to make a connection, as we were talking about earlier, with, with Wales.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about attending the University of Kentucky to earn her doctorate before returning to Clinch Valley College. At Clinch Valley she became involved with John Gaventa and Ron Eller who were studying traditional mountain culture. She talks about their work making films about Welsh coal miners, as well as the work of other filmmakers at the time including Ann Lewis and Barbara Kopple on "Harlan County, USA."

Keywords: "Colonialism in Modern America: The Appalachian Case"; "Harlan County, USA"; Ann Lewis; Appalachian Studies; Barbara Kopple; Clinch Valley College; Coal companies; England; Filmmaking; Films; Full time jobs; John Gaventa; Mine strikes; National Science Foundation; Ron Eller; Rural areas; Scholarships; Social work programs; Traditional mountain communities; University of Kentucky; University of Virginia's College at Wise; Wales; Welsh miners; Wise (Va.); Writing

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Coal miners; Coal mines and mining; College teaching.; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: I'd like to hear about your trips to Wales but I'm curious, uh, if you recall any of the screenings that Gavi--Gaventa held of that footage.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks more about her students making films. She talks about why she went to Wales, describes the town she chose to document, and talks about the purpose of filming there. She talks about filming community events, and the cultural exchange created when Americans from the Appalachian region came to Wales to visit the town.
[An interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: Coal communities; Coal mining communities; Community events; Connections; Cooperation; Documentation; Film making; Film screenings; Filming; John Gaventa; Julia Gaventa; Making films; Mine consolidation; Music; Purpose; Richard Greatrex; Sharing; Students; Visiting

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Coal miners; Coal mines and mining; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: Could you talk about when you came back from Wales, and both what happened with some of this footage and what you found upon your return to Wise?

Segment Synopsis: Lewis gives a brief overview of her work in Wales and the connection to some of the projects her students were working on at Appalshop. She talks about how her social activism was received by the administration of Clinch Valley College and the coal companies, and talks about why she resigned from the college. She talks about her next steps, and what became of the film she had collected in Wales.

Keywords: "Colonialism in Modern America: The Appalachian Case"; Anti-strip mining groups; Appalachian Studies; Clinch Valley College; Coal companies; Coal mining; Cultural exchange; Deans; Filming; Films; Frank Kilgore; Health clinics; Health programs; Highlander Folk School; Highlander Research and Education Center; Jack Wright; John Gaventa; McDowell County (W. Va.); Mechanization of mines; Mildew; Reactions; Resignation; Responses; Return from Wales; Ron Short; Social movements; Social work program; Students; The Richardsons; Virginia Citizens for Better Reclamation; Worldwide industrialization

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Coal miners; Coal mines and mining; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions; Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining

Partial Transcript: And if it's okay with you what I'd love to do is, is now start talking about the period that--where you were at Appalshop, from '80 to '84.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about working for Appalshop and her mindset at the time of not worrying about the future and wanting to experience exciting things. She talks about the beginnings of the "History of Appalachia" film series, the people involved, and the stories they wanted to tell. She talks about the films they had hoped to make before their funding was cut.

Keywords: "Beyond Measure"; "History of Appalachia"; "Long Journey Home"; "Strangers and Kin"; Alan Matthews; Bill Bennett; Coal mines; Communities; Don Baker; Employment; Excitement; Experiences; Film making; Film series; Filmmakers; Funding; Herb Smith; Highlander Folk School; Highlander Research and Education Center; Immigrants; Job offers; Leaving academia; Maxine; Motivation; North Georgia; Planning for the future; Republicans; Retirement; Ron Eller; Salary; Script writing; Stories; Students; Unemployment

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; College students--Political activity.; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: And, um, you were talking--the, there are a couple things I want to follow up on there, and then I have, uh, a question about day-to-day life.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about her goals of broadening the perspectives of Appalshop regarding what Appalachia was and which regions were included, and talks about the people who advised Appalshop on these issues. She talks about her role and day-to-day work at Appalshop.
[An interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: "Coalmining Women"; "History of Appalachia"; Academic; Advisors; Advisory board; Advisory committee; Ann Lewis; Appalachian Studies Association; Appalachian Studies Conference; Broadening perspectives; Building bridges; Community connections; Connections; Consultants; Day-to-day; Don Baker; Filmmakers; Francis Morton; Funding; Hopes; Local historians; Meetings; Mimi Pickering; Narrators; Opportunities; Outcomes; Relationships; Religion; Scholars; Social movements; Stories; Voice

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: Well, uh, uh, to stay then in '80 when you showed up, I'm curious to ask about--you wanted to broaden App, uh, Appalshop's connection to the region...

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about the connections between Clinch Valley College and Letcher County, Kentucky and their involvement in social movements. She talks about reactions to the Appalshop film "Strangers and Kin," which she says some people thought perpetuated stereotypes and did not take the issues seriously enough. She talks about the "wild bunch of kids" at Appalshop and what she saw as the importance of having fun within the social movement.

Keywords: "Strangers and Kin"; Advisors; Class systems; Clinch Valley College; Criticism; Critique; Flippant; Harry Caudill; Involvement; Outcomes; Politics; Prejudices; Reactions; Responses; Rural life; Seriousness; Social movements; Stereotypes; Students; Tom Gish; University of Virginia's College at Wise; Wise County (W. Va.)

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Letcher County (Ky.); Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions; Whitesburg (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Um, I'd like to go back to thinking about you at Appalshop now instead of trying to do the Whitesburg, Letcher County discussion.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about downplaying the academic side of her life unless her name was needed to obtain funding. She talks about her connections to the people at Appalshop.

Keywords: Academic background; Attitudes; Childbirth; Clinch Valley College; Colleges; Connections; Elizabeth Smith; Evan Smith; Friendships; Funding; Herb Smith; Humanist; Loyal Jones; Relationships; Role; Scholars; Service; Students; University of Virginia's College at Wise; Work culture

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.

Partial Transcript: Again this is Jeff Keith and Rayna Gellert interviewing Helen Lewis.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about the beginnings of the "History of Appalachia" film series that was planned by Appalshop, and talks about the purpose of the series. She talks about the first film, "Strangers and Kin" which covered stereotypes and exploitation of the people in Appalachia. She talks about reactions to the film, including those who began to recognize the harm of stereotypes, like Ned Beatty reflecting on his role in the movie "Deliverance." She talks about another film, "Long Journey Home," the purpose of the film, and the process of making it.

Keywords: "Deliverance"; "History of Appalachia"; "Long Journey Home"; "Strangers and Kin"; Appalachian Studies classes; Arnold Toynbee; Assessment; Audience; Awareness; Documenting history; Don Baker; Elizabeth Barret; Exodus; Exploitation; Film screenings; Film series; Films; Footage; Involvement; Leaving; Making of; Ned Beatty; Out migration; Process; Purpose; Reactions; Reflection; Responses; Scripts; Stereotypes; Stories; Students; Tom Gish; Useful; Uses; Value

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: When, uh--both in the, in the, in--in this interview and this morning you mentioned, of course, that the series was a bigger series and it was cut short.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about the funding cuts that resulted in the cancellation of the "History of Appalachia" series, which she says was partly due to the new Republican administration. There were also those who misunderstood the film and felt it perpetuated the negative stereotypes of Appalachia. She talks about the subjects of the films in the series that they were not able to create, and whether she believes "Strangers and Kin" was the correct choice for the pilot film of the series.
[An interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: "History of Appalachia"; "Strangers and Kin"; Bill Bennett; Culture wars; Disappointment; Excuses; First film; Funding; Funding cuts; Herb Smith; Leaving; Misunderstandings; National Endowment for the Humanities; Pilot film; Promoting stereotypes; Provincial; Reactions; Resources; Ronald Reagan; State funding; Topics; United States Constitution

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Politics and government; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: Well, um, so, so you went from Appalshop back to Highlander, is that correct?

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about being a link between the Highlander Folk School and Appalshop. She talks about her continuing relationship with Appalshop after her employment there ended.

Keywords: "Chemical Valley"; "Coalmining Women"; Advisors; Aida Smith; Ann Lewis; Appalachian internships; Bridge; Connections; Highlander Folk School; Link; Mimi; Narration; Relationships; River Farm; Writing

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Highlander Research and Education Center (Knoxville, Tenn.); Motion pictures--Production and direction.

Partial Transcript: Um, but I'd love to ask you about something that relates to those early years again.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis discusses the idea of stereotypes as a form of resistance to the exploitation the people of Appalachia were facing. She talks about how the social movement in some ways was simply replacing the negative stereotype with a more "beautiful" stereotype and how this ignored the diversity of the region. She talks about what topics she would like to cover if the "History of Appalachia" series were created today.

Keywords: "Hillbilly"; "History of Appalachia" film series; Appalachian Studies; Appalachian identity; Changes; Denial of diversity; Exploitation; Globalization; Race issues; Reactions; Relationships; Resistance; Responses; Rural characteristics; Stereotypes; Use

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: Cause this, this gets to something else that I, that I would love to have your opinion on.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about whether Appalachia fits the colonial model, and Appalshop's role in relation to colonialism. She talks more about the social movement replacing negative stereotypes with different stereotypes, as well as allowing people to tell their own stories. She talks about films and other media creating questions and discussions rather than answers, and how Appalshop's films have changed the image of Appalachia.

Keywords: "Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People"; "Better stereotypes"; "Stranger with a Camera"; "Strangers and Kin"; Changes; Colonial model; Colonial thesis; Discussion; Image; Independence; Internal colonies; Media; New stereotypes; Public Broadcasting Station (PBS); Questions; Social change; Stories

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: I'll s--I'll shift in, into a more general question about A--

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about some of the challenges Appalshop has overcome and how they have persevered. She gives her opinions on the chaos of the early days of Appalshop giving rise to creativity, and talks about whether becoming more organized has reduced the opportunity for creativity. She talks about her ideas on a mutually beneficial system for providing education for college students and the people of Appalachia who mentor them.

Keywords: "Wild bunch of kids"; Acceptance; Challenges; Chaos; College; Community; Community involvement; Community service; Creative; Herb Smith; Highlander Folk School; Highlander Research and Education Center; Mentors; Myles Horton; Opportunities; Possibilities; Reactions; Resentment; Resources; Unplanned; Warren Wilson College; Well-organized; Whitesburg (Ky.)

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Documentary films.; Education--Appalachian Region; Integration; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions

Partial Transcript: But I want to get back to Appalshop for a second. Or with Highlander.

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about some of the "big personalities" at Appalshop and whether Appalshop created them or their personalities made Appalshop what it became. She tells stories about Myles Horton tricking people into desegregating.
[An interruption in taping occurs during this segment.]

Keywords: Attitudes; Equipment; Herb Smith; Highlander Folk School; Highlander Research and Education Center; Myles Horton; Opportunities; Possibilities; Resources; Tricks

Subjects: African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Appalshop, Inc.; Integration; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; United States--Race relations.

Partial Transcript: We were just talking about the possibilities that are created by institutions that have resources--

Segment Synopsis: Lewis talks about the social issues affecting Appalachia today and discusses whether community groups are making a difference. She talks about Appalshop's legacy, their need to address diversity in Appalachia and find stories and people that have not yet been included in Appalshop's activities. She talks about Appalachia's place in the global economy. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Changes; Coal companies; Community groups; Effectiveness; Fighting; Ginseng; Global economy; Globalism; Globalization; Hispanic; Legacies; Missing; Not included; Social activism; Stories; Strip mining; Untold stories

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Economic conditions; Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Appalachians (People) in motion pictures; Appalshop, Inc.; Motion pictures--Production and direction.; Mountaintop removal mining; Political activists.; Regionalism--Appalachian Region; Rural conditions