Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine

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  Now & Then (Volume 01, Issue 01, 1984)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 01, Issue 01, published in 1984. The inaugural issue introduces the mission and activities of the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services while showcasing the region's cultural vitality through scholarship, archival work, and creative expression. Features on archival acquisitions, museum collections, and public programs highlight efforts to document the region's history, while a cultural selection devoted to contemporary writers underscores the enduring power of Appalachian oral tradition and storytelling. Framed by images of change over time, the issue presents Appalachia as a living culture marked by both continuity and transformation, committed to confronting present challenges while honoring its past.

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  Now & Then (Volume 02, Issue 03, 1985)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 02, Issue 03, published in 1985. The theme of this issue is Appalachian Music. This issue underscores both historical traditions and contemporary performance through essays, interviews, memoir, and photography. It features musicians performing and discussing traditional songs, alongside accounts of collectors and scholars who have preserved regional music and documented its social significance. Topics include the evolution of ballads, the influence of key figures in music preservation, and the ways music reflects daily life, family, and community experiences. Reviews of recordings and literature provide additional context for understanding Appalachian musical heritage. The combination of artistic, historical, and personal perspectives emphasizes music's role in sustaining cultural memory and shaping community identity, illustrating how Appalachian traditions continue to connect the region's past with its present.

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  Now & Then (Volume 02, Issues 01-02, 1985)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 02, Issues 01-02, published in 1985. This combined Winter/Spring issue focuses on Appalachian women, highlighting work that reflects their daily lives, creative expression, and social roles within family and community. Through literary writing, historical study, interviews, and photography, the issue emphasizes perspectives often overlooked in traditional narratives, revealing both the challenges and resilience of women in the region. Regular features provide context for cultural and educational initiatives that support Appalachian communities, situating women's experiences within the broader social and cultural landscape. By integrating personal narratives and regional context, this issue presents a nuanced view of how women shaped and participated in Appalachian life. Its significance lies in capturing the diversity of women's contributions and the ways their voices and experiences continue to inform understanding of Appalachian culture during the mid 1980s, offering readers insight into the complexity and richness of life in the region.

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  Now & Then (Volume 03, Issue 01, 1986)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 03, Issue 01, published in 1986. The theme of this issue is Black Appalachians. This issue traces the history, culture, and creative contributions of African Americans in this region. Through essays, interviews, fiction, poetry, and visual arts, it examines the distinctive experiences of Black communities in Appalachia, highlighting their roles in labor, education, and artistic expression while challenging stereotypes of the region as culturally uniform. The issue documents the lives of individuals and communities, including historical figures, artists, and everyday residents, and considers the ways Black Appalachians have shaped and participated in regional traditions. Institutional and cultural features provide context for preservation and recognition efforts, situating creative and scholarly work within broader regional narratives. By emphasizing the diversity of Appalachian life, the issue illuminates the complexity of racial, social, and cultural identity in the region and the enduring contributions of Black Appalachians to its history and culture.

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  Now & Then (Volume 03, Issue 02, 1986)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 03, Issue 02, published in 1986. The theme of this issue is Homecoming '86. This issue engages themes of return, memory, and regional identity within the context of a statewide commemoration of Tennessee's history and traditions. Through writing, interviews, and photography, it presents reflections by Appalachian authors, historians, artists, and performers on separation from the region and the meanings of coming home, including experiences of migration and cultural continuity. Features on East Tennessee State University's heritage and community arts projects further situate personal narratives within institutional and local history. Literary and autobiographical works emphasize connections between place, family, and creative expression, highlighting both nostalgia and change in Appalachian life. From documenting diverse responses to homecoming across communities and generations, the issue underscores the enduring significance of place and belonging in shaping Appalachian cultural identity.

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  Now & Then (Volume 03, Issue 03, 1986)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 03, Issue 03, published in 1986. The theme of this issue is Cherokees. This issue outlines the history, traditions, and contemporary life of the Eastern Band within Appalachia. It presents firsthand accounts, historical reflections, and cultural documentation that trace the Cherokee experience from the nineteenth century to the present, including the legacy of removal, adaptation to external pressures, and efforts to preserve language, crafts, and community practices. Attention is given to traditional arts, ceremonial life, storytelling, leadership, and public performance, as well as to the economic and cultural impact of tourism and debates over development on tribal lands. The issue also considers shifts in social organization and gender roles following contact with European American Systems, alongside ongoing efforts to maintain cultural continuity. Through highlighting both endurance and change, the volume underscores the Cherokee's central role in the historical and cultural landscape of Appalachia.

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  Now & Then (Volume 04, Issue 01, 1987)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 04, Issue 01, published in 1987. The theme of this issue is Appalachian Childhood. This issue reflects on childhood in Appalachia through personal narratives, poetry, interviews, and historical accounts, examining how labor, play, poverty, education, and family life shaped young lives across the region. Features include discussions of mountain schools, youth culture, and community support programs such as the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program, as well as regional initiatives like the Center for Early Childhood Learning at East Tennessee State University.

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  Now & Then (Volume 04, Issue 02, 1987)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 04, Issue 02, published in 1987. The theme of this issue is Appalachian Writing. This issue presents Appalachian writing through author interviews, creative excerpts, poetry, and institutional reflections, highlighting both established and emerging literary voices in the region. It includes conversations with Gurney Norman and Nikki Giovanni, alongside features on local writers, the origin of the Carroll Reece Museum, and resources supporting regional literary communities.

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  Now & Then (Volume 04, Issue 03, 1987)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 04, Issue 03, published in 1987. The theme of this issue is Appalachian Veterans. Dedicated to the memory of Alvin Cullum York on the centennial of his birth, this issue reflects on the wartime experiences and postwar realities of Appalachian veterans through personal profiles, essays, poetry, and historical accounts. It addresses combat, captivity, disability, race, trauma, and family life, alongside stories of decorated service and civic engagement that trace veterans' enduring impact on both regional and national life.

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  Now & Then (Volume 05, Issue 01, 1988)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 05, Issue 01, published in 1988. The theme of this issue is Working in Appalachia. This issue examines labor and livelihood in Appalachia through cultural production, industry profiles, and personal narratives, including discussions of coal mining, health care initiatives, traditional crafts, and regional identity. Featuring commentary from John Sayles and Denise Giardina on their works Matewan and Storming Heaven, it highlights the lived realities of Appalachian workers across sectors while addressing themes of economic struggle, resilience, and cultural pride.

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  Now & Then (Volume 05, Issue 02, 1988)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 05, Issue 02, published in 1988. The theme of this issue is Insiders/Outsiders. This issue considers the fluid boundaries between belonging and estrangement in Appalachia through essays, profiles, and creative works that reflect the experiences of first-generation immigrants, cultural transplants, and Native communities. Featuring diverse perspectives from Italian, Filipino, Chinese, and Jewish Appalachian households to reflections on Cherokee identity, it documents how regional identity is shaped, challenged, and redefined by both insiders and newcomers.

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  Now & Then (Volume 05, Issue 03, 1988)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 05, Issue 03, published in 1988. The theme of this issue is Perceptions and Prescriptions in Appalachia. This issue reflects on the legacy of the War on Poverty in Appalachia through interviews, historical features, and creative works that examine institutional reform, cultural identity, and grassroots resistance. Revisiting the efforts of organizations such as the Council of the Southern Mountains alongside personal narratives of faith, education, and labor activism, it documents the evolving perceptions of poverty and the varied responses to its enduring challenges in the region.

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  Now & Then (Volume 06, Issue 01, 1989)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 06, Issue 01, published in 1989. The theme of this issue is Health in Appalachia. This issue documents the intersection of traditional healing practices and emerging rural healthcare systems in Appalachia, featuring discussions of folk medicine, midwifery, public health initiatives, and Cherokee approaches to wellness. Through interviews, essays, and historical reflections, it highlights the region's efforts to balance cultural health traditions with expanding medical knowledge and access to care.

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  Now & Then (Volume 06, Issue 02, 1989)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 06, Issue 02, published in 1989. The theme of this issue is Sense of Place in Appalachia. This issue examines how identity and belonging are shaped by landscape, memory, and lived experience in Appalachia, through essays, fiction, poetry, and interviews with regional writers. By reflecting on themes of migration, homecoming, labor, and poverty, it captures the evolving yet deeply rooted relationships between Appalachian people and the places they inhabit.

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  Now & Then (Volume 06, Issue 03, 1989)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 06, Issue 03, published in 1989. The theme of this issue is Appalachian Art Folk and Fine. This issue examines artistic expression in Appalachia through studies of quilting, dance, craft traditions, music, and theater, alongside reflections on the relationship between folk and fine art. Featuring artist interviews, fiction, poetry, and reviews, it documents both community-based creative practices and formally trained artistic work as expressions of regional identity and cultural continuity.

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  Now & Then (Volume 07, Issue 01, 1990)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 07, Issue 01, published in 1990. The theme of this issue is Rural Appalachia. This issue examines life in rural Appalachia through essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry that reflect on land, memory, economic change, and community identity. Addressing themes such as the transformation from farming to coal economies, family remembrance during the Great Depression, and contemporary rural reform movements, it documents both the challenges and continuities shaping Appalachian rural life.

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  Now & Then (Volume 07, Issue 02, 1990)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 07, Issue 02, published in 1990. The theme of this issue is Urban Appalachia. This issue explores the experiences of Appalachians in urban settings through essays, fiction, photography, music, and poetry that reflect migration, identity, and cultural adaptation. Addressing topics such as bluegrass music's evolution, burial practices among Appalachian migrants, urban growth, and the shifting contrasts between country and city life, it documents how Appalachian identity persists and changes within metropolitan contexts.

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  Now & Then (Volume 07, Issue 03, 1990)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 07, Issue 03, published in 1990. The theme of this issue is Activism in Appalachia. This issue documents grassroots organizing and social movements across Appalachia through features on the Pittston coal strike, labor struggles, missionary work, and community leadership. Through personal profiles, stories, poetry, and reviews, it highlights collective efforts to challenge economic injustice, advocate for workers' rights, and reshape power structures within Appalachian communities.

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  Now & Then (Volume 08, Issue 01, 1991)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 08, Issue 01, published in 1991. The theme of this issue is Tourism in Appalachia. This issue examines the growth of tourism in Appalachia, with particular focus on Sevier County, Tennessee, and the economic, cultural, and environmental effects of development. Through reports, historical reflections, profiles, and reviews (including discussion of Dollywood and commentary from Dolly Parton) it considers whether tourism serves as preservation, transformation, or economic remedy for mountain communities.

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  Now & Then (Volume 08, Issue 02, 1991)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 08, Issue 02, published in 1991. The theme of this issue is Family and Community. This issue addresses the complexities of family and community life in Appalachia, including investigations into family violence, crime rates, grassroots leadership, and rural social networks. Through articles, profiles, and creative works, it considers how systems of kinship, mutual obligation, and local advocacy shape both vulnerability and resilience within Appalachian communities.

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  Now & Then (Volume 08, Issue 03, 1991)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 08, Issue 03, published in 1991. The theme of this issue is The Media & Appalachia. This issue examines portrayals of Appalachia in film, television, radio, journalism, and photography, considering how regional images are constructed, circulated, and contested. Through features on commercial filmmaking, media stereotypes, local institutions such as Appalshop, and the history of broadcasting in East Tennessee, it documents the tensions between representation, authenticity, and cultural self-definition.

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  Now & Then (Volume 09, Issue 01, 1992)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 09, Issue 01, published in 1992. The theme of this issue is New Appalachian Writing. The issue presents prose, poetry, photography, music, profiles, and reviews representing contemporary Appalachian artistic and literary expression.

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  Now & Then (Volume 09, Issue 02, 1992)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 09, Issue 02, published in 1992. The theme of this issue is The Scottish-Appalachian Connection. The issue includes articles, cultural features, profiles, and reviews exploring historical migration, language, music, and storytelling traditions linking Scotland, Ulster, and Appalachia and their influence on regional identity.

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  Now & Then (Volume 09, Issue 03, 1992)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 09, Issue 03, published in 1992. The theme of this issue is Sports in Appalachia. The issue explores the history and development of sports in Appalachia, highlighting regional sporting traditions including baseball, football, stock car racing, influential athletes, traditional athletic practices, and their broader cultural impact across the region.

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  Now & Then (Volume 10, Issue 01, 1993)

  Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, East Tennessee State University

  Now & Then: The Appalachian Magazine, Volume 10, Issue 01, published in 1993. The theme of this issue is Education in Appalachia. The issue explores the topic through memories of schooling, personal narratives, and cultural perspectives. Highlighting access to education, the role of schooling shaping personal opportunity, and their influence on Appalachian communities.