The Rural South

The collard sandwich, a Lumbee dish. Image courtesy of the Southern Foodways Alliance.

The Southern Oral History Program is conducting a series of related projects that involve the histories and cultures of the rural south. Professor Seth Kotch of American Studies, one of SOHP’s Affiliated Faculty, is collaborating with us on “Back Ways: The Social Experience of Rural Segregation,” a project that combines the strengths of oral history and geography to understand institutionalized racism in rural counties in the twentieth century. We are beginning with Orange and Alamance Counties in North Carolina; you can follow our progress on the project page or the student-run blog. SOHP Director Malinda Maynor Lowery is researching the rural south through foodways and the histories of Native American southerners. Our Spring 2015 Introduction to Oral History course also had a research focus on oral histories of the rural south, and in addition to learning the skills of oral history, students created a set of digital humanities projects:

• A digital map of historic Lumbee sites
• An exhibit on the Lowrie War
• A podcast about Lumbee education and recognition
• A set of Wikipedia articles on important Lumbee topics: Prospect, North Carolina; Adolph Dial; and Lumbee Regional Development Association

Stay tuned for more information on these exciting projects!