Special Collections Research Center

The Appalachian Consortium Press was founded in 1973, making it the first publisher devoted to Appalachia. The Press published proceedings of the early Appalachian Studies Conferences, the Linear Barks Conferences, and the Blue Ridge Parkway's Golden Anniversary Conference, as well as cholarly books and reference materials, including the first contemporary and comprehensive bibliography of the region (Bibliography of Southern Appalachia), oral histories, environmental studies, and poetry. The Appalachian Consortium Press published multidisciplinary scholarly works in history, literature, photography, music, sociology, folklore, and environmental studies that together provided a holistic view of the region. It dissolved in 2004.

Beginning in the fall of 1978, the Appalachian Land Ownership Task Force – a coalition of community groups, scholars, and members of the Appalachian Alliance – conducted the Appalachian Land Ownership Survey to examine land ownership patterns within the 90 counties within the Appalachian region. This digital collection is only a portion of the Survey-related materials in the W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection.

Katúah: Bioregional Journal of the Southern Appalachians, later simplified to Katúah Journal, was published from 1983 to 1993. A quarterly publication, it was focused on the bioregion of former Cherokee land in Appalachia. The early issues of the journal explain the meaning of the Cherokee name, Katúah, and why the editors wanted to view the world through a bioregional lens, rather than political boundaries. A volunteer production, the editors took a holistic view in tackling social, environmental, mental, spiritual, and emotional topics of the day, many of which are still relevant. This digital collection is only a portion of the Katúah-related materials in the W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection.

The "Katúah: Bioregional Journal of the Southern Appalachians" digital exhibit features the journal with the same name, which was published quarterly in western North Carolina for a decade beginning in the fall of 1983 and ending with the final issue in the spring of 1993. The publication was devoted to the bioregion of former Cherokee land in Appalachia. For more information on the Katúah Journal, see this Appalachian State Special Collections blog post.