Encore: Raymond Thompson, Jr. And Agape Rugs, Inside Appalachia

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In the 1930s, hundreds of mostly Black workers died digging the Hawks Nest Tunnel. A photographer brings their stories to life.

Also, when Jerry Machen began making art from old carpets in Tennessee, his wife Linda wasn’t impressed.

And, a new exhibit shares the cultures of Indigenous people who call Appalachia home.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Remembering And Reimagining The Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster

African American photographer and educator Raymond Thompson, Jr. leans on the metal rail of a walkway. He wears a blue shirt. — Raymond Thompson, Jr. remembers the African American lives lost in the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster.
*Courtesy Photo*

The Hawks Nest Tunnel in West Virginia is the site of one of the worst industrial disasters in American history. More than 700 men, most of them African American, died of lung disease as a result of mining the tunnel in the 1930s.

A new photography book sets out to bring their untold stories to life. It’s called “Appalachian Ghost: A Photographic Reimagining of the Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster,” by artist, educator, and journalist Raymond Thompson Jr.

Mason Adams spoke to him about the book and Hawks Nest Tunnel.

Cutting A Rug To Make Art

A man with glasses works on a carpet. — One man in Kingsport, Tennessee, has been building and repairing carpets and rugs for more than 50 years. For Jerry Machen, Sr., the business not only provides him with a livelihood — but also an opportunity for expression and discovery.
*Photo Credit: Nicole Musgrave/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Lots of families live with furniture, silverware, and rugs, but we often take them for granted. We seldom think about who makes these items — or where to turn when they need repaired.

One man in Kingsport, Tennessee, has been building and repairing carpets and rugs for over 50 years. For Jerry Machen, Sr., [May-chin] the business not only provides him with a livelihood — but also an outlet for expressing creativity.

In 2022, Folkways Reporter Nicole Musgrave reported the story.

Celebrating Central Appalachia's Indigenous Heritage

Two men sit on folding chairs against a whitewashed wall below windows with a lot of light pouring through them. The men are playing traditional instruments. To the right of frame a woman dressed in traditional Haudenosaunee clothes dances on a hardwood floor. — David Locklear, left, and Larry Jent play music as Jocelyn Jones dances at the Appalachian Forest Discovery Center in Elkins June 29, 2024.
*Photo Credit: Chris Schulz/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

For generations, historians argued that European settlers found Appalachia devoid of Indigenous people, that it was just a hunting ground, but Appalachia has long been home for Indigenous people.

A series of events in Elkins, West Virginia is telling their stories. It’s part of the exhibit, “Creating Home: Indigenous Roots and Connections in the Appalachian Forest.”

Chris Schulz reported.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Kaia Kater, Steve Earle, Jeff Ellis, Yonder Mountain String Band and John Blissard.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: [email protected].

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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