Activism and Advocacy for Appalachia: The Woman Who Developed Appalachian Studies

Appalachia is rich with culture, beauty, and minerals. Despite this, the area has high rates of poverty and experiences structural inequality. The study of Appalachia is a relatively new discipline; Helen Matthews Lewis played a vital role in its creation. This research will provide a brief overview of Appalachia and the issues the region faces while focusing on Lewis’ contributions to Appalachian studies. Born in 1924 in Georgia, Lewis is considered by many to be the grandmother of Appalachian studies. She was an expert at organizing, uniting, and connecting people. Her relentless drive to enact change left an impact on many communities in Appalachia and beyond. She refined a view of Appalachia that endorsed Appalachian culture and blamed outsiders for the destitution experienced in the region, uprooting previous arguments that Appalachian culture caused poverty. Lewis promoted her model of teaching and encouraged the growth of other Appalachian studies programs. She assisted the University of North Georgia with the formation of its Appalachian Studies Center. Despite the discrimination and setbacks she faced throughout her life, Lewis lived out her call to enact social justice; she imparted her activism in her teaching. By creating one of the first Appalachian studies programs and by popularizing a new way of viewing Appalachia, Lewis’ work was crucial to the development of Appalachian studies today.  This research relies on a combination of sources, including books and journal articles, recorded interviews of Helen Matthews Lewis, and interviews of Appalachian scholars and friends of Lewis conducted by the researcher.