This is one of my favorite places in the world, in one of the best towns that you'll find in Appalachia. The Fuzzy Duck Coffee Shop and CoffeeTree Books (or just the Fuzzy Duck if you prefer), is an amazing place to find good coffee, good books, and good people — just three of the many things that make Appalachia a wonderful place to be. I hope you all enjoy learning about this place, and I hope even more so that one day you get a chance to visit it yourself!

Fuzzy Duck Website: https://www.coffeetreebooks.com/

It wouldn't be a true season of Appalachian Firesides without some unexpected publishing delay, now would it? Thank you all so much for your grace in my not publishing last week. I think we should be on track for the rest of the season. I am so excited to bring you all this discussion I had with Dr. Gui Silva, who in addition to being a wonderful person and mentor to myself and many others, is Chair of the Political Science Department at Georgetown College. Dr. Silva and I had a great discussion about the deep and far-reaching connections between Appalachia and the wider world, and how folks in the region and elsewhere can think of our place in a global system. I hope you all enjoy!

For this first installment of our Sights to See series for season five, we're taking a look at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, Virginia. Here you can learn about and experience the rich musical traditions of Appalachia! Be sure to visit their website below, and I hope you all enjoy learning about this amazing place!

Blue Ridge Music Center: https://www.blueridgemusiccenter.org/

Here's our lead off for season five! I am so glad to bring to you all my conversation with Lydia Welker, who volunteers as the Digital Communications Coordinator for the Appalachian Prison Book Project (APBP). Lydia and I discuss how this organization gets reading material to incarcerated folks throughout Appalachia, as well as educational opportunities for incarcerated folks. Along the way, we discuss how the spread of prisons in Appalachia has affected communities and the people who live there, and how we can move towards a future where everyone in Appalachia is treated with the respect and dignity that they deserve. I hope you all enjoy!

Appalachian Prison Book Project Website: https://appalachianprisonbookproject.org/

APBP Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianPBP/

APBP Twitter: https://twitter.com/AppalachianPBP

We've made it to the Season 5 Finale! Thank you all so very much for your continued support, in however you support the show. I'll be taking a bit of a break for a few weeks as I finish up everything with College, but we'll be back on near the beginning of the summer. In recognition of today as May Day, International Workers Day and International Labor Day, I thought it would be a great time to share my discussion with Ahmed White, who is a Professor of Law and author of The Last Great Strike: Little Steel, the CIO, and the Struggle for Labor Rights in New Deal America. Professor White and I discuss his book, which shows both the successes and failures of the labor law enacted during the New Deal, and we also discuss how the lessons of that time can be applied to ours. I really hope you all enjoy this season finale, and I look forward to all of the episodes to come!

What is May Day? by Emma Bowman: https://www.npr.org/2022/04/30/1095729592/what-is-may-day-history

Professor White's Website: https://www.ahmedwhite.com/

One aspect of life in Appalachia which is often overlooked is that of Indigenous history and Indigenous influences on the land and the people who now live here. That's why I wanted to highlight Oak Mounds in Clarksburg, West Virginia. When we take the time to learn about what was left behind by the people who were here long before anyone else, we have some context to understand their struggles today, and maybe can get a little closer to finding how we can help elevate them and advocate for their just treatment. I'm still in this process, and I hope it's one that you all will join in with me. I hope you enjoy today's episode!

Oak Mounds, WV: https://wvexplorer.com/attractions/prehistoric/oak-mounds/

Don't worry folks, I'm still kicking. After an unexpected hiatus (you'll hear all about it in the intro), we are back with our regularly scheduled programing! For today's episode, I was thrilled to be joined by Courtney Rhoades from the Appalachian Citizens Law Center based out of Whitesburg, Kentucky. The ACLC is a non-profit law firm that assists folks in the mountains with legal aid relating to health and safety, and they also advocate for policies that ensure that both the land, and the people who live on it, will have a dignified and a healthy future. Courtney is the lead Black Lung Organizer for the ACLC; she and I discussed her work in that field and how she and her colleagues at the ACLC advocate for better health and safety standards and improved benefits for coal miners across the board. If you're interested in learning more about the ACLC and the services they provide, I've included a link in the show notes. I hope you all enjoy!

Appalachian Citizens Law Center Website: https://aclc.org/

It's just me today. This episode is pretty unordinary, but as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "This is no ordniary time". With all that has gone on in Tennessee these past couple of weeks, I wanted to discuss those matters on the podcast. I ramble a little, and might repeat myself from time to time, but I wanted to say my peace on it. I hope you all enjoy.

Y'all are in for such a treat. As you all can probably tell by now, I make a *big* deal about the importance of labor history to the wider story of Appalachia. I do this not only because I'm interested in this intersection of history, but because you really can't give a full and authentic image of Appalachia without talking about the labor movement here, and the folks who made it possible. Their struggles not only are central components to our history, but their example shows us what solidarity and determination can do today as workers continue to fight for their basic human rights. I am so honored to be joined this week by Kenzie New-Walker, who is the Executive Director of the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum in Matewan, West Virginia. As you'll hear from Kenzie, the Museum is dedicated to preserving that history of labor organizing in Appalachia; we discuss her role in that, the layout of the Museum and what folks can expect when they visit, as well as the importance of remembering the history of labor organizing in the mountains. This was such a fun interview, and I hope you all enjoy it!

West Virginia Mine Wars Museum website: https://wvminewars.org/

This week, we're continuing our trend of exploring those states that, although they aren't typically associated with Appalachia, are nonetheless a part of the region. Located in Boonsboro in Maryland, Greenbrier State Park offers a lot of fun outdoor activities, and does so in a majestic and diverse environment which captures the beauty of the Appalachian region. I hope you all enjoy learning about the Park, and that you get a chance to visit1

Greenbrier State Park website: https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/pages/western/greenbrier.aspx