BOONE, N.C. — For its 25th anniversary, the Common Reading Program at Appalachian State University has named “Junaluska: Oral Histories of a Black Appalachian Community” as its 2022–23 book selection for the incoming class of first-year and transfer students.

Each academic year, the program’s committee selects a book intended to promote and guide intellectual, interdisciplinary interactions and discussions between all incoming students, who receive a copy of the book during their orientation sessions.

According to McFarland, the book’s publisher, the Junaluska community in Boone is one of the oldest African American communities in Western North Carolina.

Dr. Don Presnell, director of App State’s Common Reading Program, said “Junaluska” — published in 2020 as part of McFarland’s Contributions to Southern Appalachian Studies series — is “truly a book that can bring together students and community members.”

“The book is not only a history of a ‘village within a village’ but also a vibrant example of participatory research. It is a record of and testament to family and faith, heritage and community, and persistence and resilience,” he added.

As with last year’s selection — Nora Krug’s “Belonging” — the stories and themes of “Junaluska” will be especially meaningful for first-year students, whose transition to college will begin a new chapter in their own personal and educational experiences, Presnell said.

The Common Reading Program selection is a required component of App State’s First Year Seminar courses. Presnell said the program — part of App State’s University College — encourages and collaborates with departments and faculty across the university “to integrate the book into their curricula and disciplines so that all App State students can participate in and share a common reading and intellectual experience.”

A variety of activities, speakers and events related to “Junaluska” will be part of the yearlong Common Reading experience, beginning in mid-September. Details will be made available as events are finalized.

Visit the Common Reading Program website for updates and to learn more about the program.

Junaluska

Oral Histories of a Black Appalachian Community

Edited by Susan E. Keefe with assistance from Junaluska Heritage Association
2020

Junaluska is one of the oldest African American communities in western North Carolina and one of the few surviving today. After Emancipation, many former slaves in Watauga County became sharecroppers, were allowed to clear land and to keep a portion, or bought property outright, all in the segregated neighborhood on the hill overlooking the town of Boone, North Carolina. Land and home ownership have been crucial to the survival of this community, whose residents are closely interconnected as extended families and neighbors. Missionized by white Krimmer Mennonites in the early twentieth century, their church is one of a handful of African American Mennonite Brethren churches in the United States, and it provides one of the few avenues for leadership in the local black community.

Susan Keefe has worked closely with members of the community in editing this book, which is based on three decades of participatory research. These life history narratives adapted from interviews with residents (born between 1885 and 1993) offer a people’s history of the black experience in the southern mountains. Their stories provide a unique glimpse into the lives of African Americans in Appalachia during the 20th century—and a community determined to survive through the next.

Available from McFarland

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Common Reading Program

Since 1997, incoming first-year students at Appalachian have been asked to read a book as part of their orientation to the University. By participating in the Common Reading Program, students establish a common experience with other new students that helps develop a sense of community and introduce them to a part of the academic life they are beginning at Appalachian. This program is an exciting facet of the first year experience at Appalachian.

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See previous Common Reading Program selections

App State Common Reading Program announces ‘Belonging’ as 2021–22 book selection

April 9, 2021

As part of the 2021–22 App State Common Reading Program, all incoming first-year and transfer students will receive an e-book copy of Nora Krug’s award-winning graphic memoir “Belonging: A German Reckons with History and Home” during their orientation sessions.

Read the story

About University College

Formed in 2007, University College consists of the university’s general education program, faculty and student support, and co-curricular programming and support – all designed to support the work of students both inside and outside the classroom. All students at Appalachian begin their education in University College and benefit from its programs until they graduate. Learn more at https://universitycollege.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.