This school year has so far witnessed a revival of the History Club, and student members have busied themselves with highlighting important historical figures through several methods of publicity. Now, the club is completing its most ambitious project of the year so far—transcribing slave and free person records from the 1800s, through an organization named Black in Appalachia, an organization whose goal is to spotlight the impact of African Americans on the southern Appalachian community.
Junior Aubry Spaulding says, “As a part of the History Club, we are trying to share our love of history with others. The Black in Appalachia fits into this because we are able to make part of the history that we're so excited about.”
Students will be studying records produced in Watauga County in 1860 and 1870. The 1860 records give information on the names of slave owners and the age, gender and other characteristics of the enslaved persons of their household. Those records from 1870 offer a listing of the names of freedpersons in the county, as by this point slavery had been abolished in the United States.
The overarching goal is to digitize records of enslavement and to compare historical documentation of slavery with other census records made in Watuaga County after slavery was abolished.
“Black in Appalachia is one of the most important projects we have taken. As Kate Kelley has said, knowledge should be free. If knowledge is kept by a handful, or is only available after payment, then misinformation can easily spread. In essence, we cannot dismantle a racist oppressive system if we do not acknowledge that racism exists in our community in the first place,” senior member Alex Vazquez says.
Although the students are still in the midst of completing this project, the History Club became involved with Black in Appalachia in order to honor Black History Month in February. Throughout the year, History Club has designed their activities to match the recognition received by certain groups of people during different months of the year.
Vazquez says of the club’s activities, “The main purpose of History Club is to look at our past and see themes throughout human history that can help us make better decisions today.”
The celebration of heritage months gives the History Club a prime opportunity to study these historical themes while celebrating the contributions of individuals to those ideas. For example, from late September to early October the club publicized information about Hispanic Heritage Month, then researched certain historical figures for Indigenous Heritage Month in November and most recently, they designed daily social media posts to call attention to Black History Month.
The History Club typically remains focused on American history in their activities, but another theme they have explored is the importance of learning and supporting local history. For Hispanic Heritage Month, Vazquez created a presentation on the history and impact of Hispanic residents in North Carolina. During February, the club also held a meeting in which students were able to interview a resident of Junaluska, a historically African American community in Boone. Now, their participation in Black in Appalachia has created an entirely new opportunity to not only interact with primary historical sources but to connect their knowledge of American history to the very county in which they live.
As Vazquez says, “Boone, as small as it was in the 1800s, did not escape the cruel and unjust institution of slavery that plagued the nation. We must remember what happened before Emancipation to have a more racially-conscious and equitable community.”
Oftentimes, as a teenager and student it can be difficult to feel as if one is making an impact on or connection with the wider community. Therefore, the Black in Appalachia project offers a unique opportunity to meld school knowledge, club aspirations and service to the community.
Spaulding states, “I feel that our work is very important. It helps bring into the historical picture so many hidden names. It's good to know that although these people's rights may have infringed upon during their lives, we are helping them be remembered. I feel like everyone has the right to be remembered.”
Of course, the exploration of local history involves facing implications about one’s own community that can be uncomfortable yet informative.
Spaulding comments, “I have come across a few names, like Hardin and Councill, that are names of places and roads in Boone. It was cool to see that these names were preserved throughout the years, but I was also disappointed that they would be connected to slavery.”
“There are many common surnames in this region of the country, and we are yet early in the project to determine if the names correspond to the names of any public buildings in this county. However, the most shocking thing to me comes simply from the data on the enslaved people in this county,” Vazquez states. “Many more people were enslaved in Watauga Country than I would have thought; about 100+. The fact that some households included only a female enslaved person and a toddler is heartbreaking, or households that include people from ages 1-94 is truly shocking.”
While in any history class one may be exposed to a plethora of important subjects, the History Club provides students with the opportunity to enrich their understanding of historical knowledge with student-led projects that showcase people who contributed greatly to shaping the reality in which we live today. Being able to interact with others through social media, exploring local history and studying historical resources that display history in action, the History Club has certainly progressed far beyond the classroom.
Vazquez explains, “Learning history in the classroom focuses on broad themes throughout human history, such as events that have reshaped the way we look at society or ourselves as people. On the other hand, delving into local history is less broad, but we can see how our own home has fit into the themes we study in broader historical events.”
Opportunities for greater local history learning are strung throughout the Appalachian community. Vazquez mentions King Street’s post office as a place where the efforts of the Works Progress Administration, an organization formed as an attempt to alleviate unemployment resulting from the Great Depression, is on display. Other historically-rich locations include the Moses H. Cone Manor and the Hickory Ridge History Museum, and organizations such as the Junaluska Heritage Association also seek to preserve the history of the community. Even a local graveyard can offer an interesting look at the history of families and changes in population over time.
As Spaulding says, “By looking into local history, it makes it more personal. With history on a broad scale, you could be learning about anyone. On the local level, you are seeing the same mountains and walking the same roads as the people you're learning about. You might even be related to them. It makes it more personal because this history is about things you are connected to.”
Written by: Bethany Hicks
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