Exploring Local Black History in Rural Appalachia: A Journey through Community Engagement

This presentation discusses implementing a Historical Methods course by emphasizing community engagement and student collaboration with local partners in Johnson City, a rural Appalachian town in East Tennessee. Emphasis is placed on course design, assignments, and community partnership collaborations, particularly within the historically small Black community. Students conducted research utilizing archival sources, engaged in discussions with community partners, and presented findings at the Langston Centre, a former segregated school turned Community Centre. Engaging with under-researched local Black history gave students purpose and opportunities for meaningful contributions. The involvement of community partners, many from the Black minority community, facilitated a dynamic learning process, exposing students to new perspectives and enriching their research endeavors. Topics explored included education, Black church history, the development of Black businesses, local organizations such as the Black Freemasons, and resistance movements during the Jim Crow era. A History Harvest Day at the Langston Centre, in collaboration with the Archives of Appalachia, allowed for the collection of documents and artifacts. Critical reflections were integrated throughout the course, connecting student learning to historical methodologies and experiential learning goals. For many students, this was their first exposure to individuals who lived through the Jim Crow era, influencing their final public presentations and papers, which reflected their unique contributions to local history.