On this episode, host Mason Adams interviews Brenda Hale, president of the Roanoke Branch NAACP. Topics include childhood trauma, urban renewal, politics, activism, the Confederate invasion of the 2015 Roanoke Christmas parade, and much more. Music by Poe Mack and Twilight Fauna. Find us at BlueRidgeFreeState.com or on social media @RidgeFree.

On this episode of Blue Ridge Free State, we talk about punk and LBGT history in Roanoke, Virginia, and how those two came together at the Backstreet Cafe. We interview Deanna Marcin about the recent controversy of MDC’s show, how it was cancelled, and how it was rescheduled. She also talks about her journey as … Continue reading 4: MDC—Marcin Dishes Candidly (w/ Deanna Marcin) →

Blue Ridge Free State is a podcast about politics, culture, history and life in Appalachia. Connect with the podcast at Twitter or at Facebook. I’m your host, Mason Adams. I’ve covered communities in Appalachia since 2001. You can follow me on Twitter at @MasonAtoms. On this episode, we talk with elections analyst Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball … Continue reading 3: Can Democrats win in a post-Trump Appalachia? (w/ Kyle Kondik) →

Blue Ridge Free State is a podcast about politics, culture, history and life in Appalachia. Connect with the podcast at Twitter or at Facebook. I’m your host, Mason Adams. I’ve covered communities in Appalachia since 2001. You can follow me on Twitter at @MasonAtoms. On this episode, we talk about Donald Trump’s recent swing through Appalachia for Republican candidates for … Continue reading Blue Ridge Free State Episode 2: Mountain State Melee (w/ Jake Zuckerman) →