Archives 40th Anniversary

JOHNSON CITY – East Tennessee State University’s Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services (CASS) is marking the 40^th anniversary of the founding of its Archives of Appalachia. 

During the past four decades, the Archives of Appalachia has acquired a world-class repository of more than 800 collections, 84,000 sound recordings and nearly 8,000 moving images, making it one of the world’s leading regional archives.

The Archives began in 1978 to promote an awareness of and appreciation for Appalachian culture and history.  Among its earliest collections was the Burton-Manning collection, an oral history archive of Appalachian folklore, manners and customs compiled by two ETSU English professors, Dr. Thomas Burton and the late Ambrose Manning.

It became a part of CASS when the Center opened in 1984 as one of the inaugural Tennessee state Centers of Excellence.  CASS combined the Archives, the Reece Museum and the Regional Resource Institute to form a comprehensive resource for the study of Appalachian history, cultural heritage and current challenges. 

Under the direction of CASS, the Archives broadened its access to scholarly resources and strengthened its collections to document the full spectrum of the southern Appalachian experience.  The Archives increased its space, allowing it to expand its manuscript holdings and extend its digital preservation efforts, when it moved to the current Sherrod Library building upon its opening in 1998.  

In fiscal year 2017-18, the Archives of Appalachia engaged with nearly 1,100 individuals through on-site visits, including for research and presentations, and through phone or email requests, according to Laura Smith, education and outreach archivist.  The Archives has already assisted 750 visitors either on-site or via distant access since July of this year.

“The Archives of Appalachia is the premier collection of materials related to this part of the Southern Appalachian region, as well as to Northeast Tennessee, and so it serves a vital role in documenting the stories of the people and communities that have made this place special,” said Dr. Ron Roach, director of CASS and professor and chair of the Department of Appalachian Studies.  “In addition, the Archives has become one of the leading repositories for materials related to bluegrass, old-time and traditional music in America.”

Besides marking its anniversary, CASS welcomed Dr. Jeremy Smith as the new director of the Archives of Appalachia on Nov. 1.  A graduate of and former archivist at Duke University, Smith is an ethnomusicologist who comes to ETSU from the Conservatory Library at Oberlin College, where he was curator of the James R. and Susan Neumann Jazz Collection.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Smith as our new director,” Roach said.  “He brings outstanding credentials and experience, and I know that he will do a great job in leading the Archives as we continue to serve our region.”

An open house was held Nov. 13 to introduce Smith and kick off a series of events celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the Archives of Appalachia, which is located in room 422 of the Sherrod Library. 

Upcoming events in the Archives of Appalachia anniversary series include music listening opportunities, a film screening, readings, photograph and vinyl record preservation workshops and more.